Compositions and methods for control of insect infestations in plants

ABSTRACT

The present invention is directed to controlling pest infestation by inhibiting one or more biological functions in an invertebrate pest. The invention discloses methods and compositions for use in controlling pest infestation by feeding one or more different recombinant double stranded RNA molecules to the pest in order to achieve a reduction in pest infestation through suppression of gene expression. The invention is also directed to methods for making transgenic plants that express the double stranded RNA molecules, and to particular combinations of transgenic pesticidal agents for use in protecting plants from pest infestation.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Applications 60/560,842, filed Apr. 9, 2004, 60/565,632, filed Apr. 27, 2004, 60/579,062, filed Jun. 11, 2004, 60/603,421, filed Aug. 20, 2004, 60/617,261, filed Oct. 11, 2004, and 60/______, filed Apr. 7, 2005, each incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to genetic control of pest infestations in plants and in and on animals. More specifically, the present invention relates to the methods for modifying endogenous expression of coding sequences in the cell or tissue of a particular pest. More specifically, the present invention utilizes recombinant DNA technologies to post-transcriptionally repress or inhibit expression of a target coding sequence in the cell of a pest, by feeding to the pest one or more double stranded or small interfering ribonucleic acid (RNA) molecules transcribed from all or a portion of a target coding sequence, thereby controlling the infestation. Therefore, the present invention relates to sequence-specific inhibition of expression of coding sequences using double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) or small interfering RNA (siRNA) to achieve the intended levels of pest control.

Novel isolated and substantially purified nucleic acid molecules including but not limited to non-naturally occurring nucleotide sequences and recombinant DNA constructs for transcribing the dsRNA or siRNA molecules of the present invention are also provided that suppress or inhibit the expression of an endogenous coding sequence or a target coding sequence in the pest when introduced thereto. Transgenic plants that (a) contain nucleotide sequences encoding the isolated and substantially purified nucleic acid molecules and the non-naturally occurring recombinant DNA constructs for transcribing the dsRNA or siRNA molecules for controlling plant pest infestations, and (b) display resistance and/or enhanced tolerance to the insect infestations, are also provided. Compositions containing the dsRNA nucleotide sequences of the present invention for use in topical applications onto plants or onto animals or into the environment of an animal to achieve the elimination or reduction of pest infestation are also described.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The environment in which humans live is replete with pest infestation. Pests including insects, arachnids, crustaceans, fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, flatworms, roundworms, pinworms, hookworms, tapeworms, trypanosomes, schistosomes, botflies, fleas, ticks, mites, and lice and the like are pervasive in the human environment, and a multitude of means have been utilized for attempting to control infestations by these pests. Compositions for controlling infestations by microscopic pests such as bacteria, fungi, and viruses have been provided in the form of antibiotic compositions, antiviral compositions, and antifungal compositions. Compositions for controlling infestations by larger pests such as nematodes, flatworm, roundworms, pinworms, heartworms, tapeworms, trypanosomes, schistosomes, and the like have typically been in the form of chemical compositions which can either be applied to the surfaces of substrates on which pests are known to infest, or to be ingested by an infested animal in the form of pellets, powders, tablets, pastes, or capsules and the like. The present invention is directed to providing an improved means for controlling pest infestation compared to the compositions known in the art.

Commercial crops are often the targets of insect attack. Substantial progress has been made in the last a few decades towards developing more efficient methods and compositions for controlling insect infestations in plants. Chemical pesticides have been very effective in eradicating pest infestations. However, there are several disadvantages to using chemical pesticidal agents. Chemical pesticidal agents are not selective. Applications of chemical pesticides are intended to control invertebrate pests that are harmful to various crops and other plants. However, because of the lack of selectivity, the chemical pesticidal agents exert their effects on non-target fauna as well, often effectively sterilizing a field for a period of time over which the pesticidal agents have been applied. Chemical pesticidal agents persist in the environment and generally are slow to be metabolized, if at all. They accumulate in the food chain, and particularly in the higher predator species. Accumulations of these chemical pesticidal agents results in the development of resistance to the agents and in species higher up the evolutionary ladder, act as mutagens and/or carcinogens often causing irreversible and deleterious genetic modifications. Thus there has been a long felt need for environmentally friendly methods for controlling or eradicating insect infestation on or in plants, i.e., methods which are selective, environmentally inert, non-persistent, and biodegradable, and that fit well into pest resistance management schemes.

Compositions that include Bacillus thuringiensis (B.t.) bacteria have been commercially available and used as environmentally safe and acceptable insecticides for more than thirty years. The insecticidal effect of Bt bacteria arises as a result of proteins that are produced exclusively by these bacteria that do not persist in the environment, that are highly selective as to the target species affected, exert their effects only upon ingestion by a target pest, and have been shown to be harmless to plants and other non-targeted organisms, including humans. Transgenic plants containing one or more genes encoding insecticidal B.t. protein are also available in the art and are remarkably efficient in controlling insect pest infestation. A substantial result of the use of recombinant plants expressing Bt insecticidal proteins is a marked decrease in the amount of chemical pesticidal agents that are applied to the environment to control pest infestation in crop fields in areas in which such transgenic crops are used. The decrease in application of chemical pesticidal agents has resulted in cleaner soils and cleaner waters running off of the soils into the surrounding streams, rivers, ponds and lakes. In addition to these environmental benefits, there has been a noticeable increase in the numbers of beneficial insects in crop fields in which transgenic insect resistant crops are grown because of the decrease in the use of chemical insecticidal agents.

Antisense methods and compositions have been reported in the art and are believed to exert their effects through the synthesis of a single-stranded RNA molecule that in theory hybridizes in vivo to a substantially complementary sense strand RNA molecule. Antisense technology has been difficult to employ in many systems for three principle reasons. First, the antisense sequence expressed in the transformed cell is unstable. Second, the instability of the antisense sequence expressed in the transformed cell concomitantly creates difficulty in delivery of the sequence to a host, cell type, or biological system remote from the transgenic cell. Third, the difficulties encountered with instability and delivery of the antisense sequence create difficulties in attempting to provide a dose within the recombinant cell expressing the antisense sequence that can effectively modulate the level of expression of the target sense nucleotide sequence.

There have been few improvements in technologies for modulating the level of gene expression within a cell, tissue, or organism, and in particular, a lack of developed technologies for delaying, repressing or otherwise reducing the expression of specific genes using recombinant DNA technology. Furthermore, as a consequence of the unpredictability of these approaches, no commercially viable means for modulating the level of expression of a specific gene in a eukaryotic or prokaryotic organism is available.

Double stranded RNA mediated inhibition of specific genes in various pests has been previously demonstrated. dsRNA mediated approaches to genetic control have been tested in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster (Tabara et al., 1998, Science 282:430-431). Tabara et. al. describe a method for delivery of dsRNA involved generating transgenic insects that express double stranded RNA molecules or injecting dsRNA solutions into the insect body or within the egg sac prior to or during embryonic development. Research investigators have previously demonstrated that double stranded RNA mediated gene suppression can be achieved in nematodes either by feeding or by soaking the nematodes in solutions containing double stranded or small interfering RNA molecules and by injection of the dsRNA molecules. Rajagopal et. al. described failed attempts to suppress an endogenous gene in larvae of the insect pest Spodoptera litura by feeding or by soaking neonate larvae in solutions containing dsRNA specific for the target gene, but was successful in suppression after larvae were injected with dsRNA into the hemolymph of 5^(th) instar larvae using a microapplicator (J. Biol. Chem., 2002, 277:46849-46851). Similarly, Mesa et al. (US 2003/0150017) prophetically described a preferred locus for inhibition of the lepidopteran larvae Helicoverpa armigera using dsRNA delivered to the larvae by ingestion of a plant transformed to produce the dsRNA. It is believed that it would be impractical to provide dsRNA molecules in the diet of most invertebrate pest species or to inject compositions containing dsRNA into the bodies of invertebrate pests. The diet method of providing dsRNA molecules to invertebrate pests is impractical because RNA molecules, even stabilized double stranded RNA molecules, are in effect highly unstable in mildly alkaline or acidic environments such as those found in the digestive tracts of most invertebrate pests, and easily degraded by nucleases in the environment. Therefore, there exists a need for improved methods of modulating gene expression by repressing, delaying or otherwise reducing gene expression within a particular invertebrate pest for the purpose of controlling pest infestation or to introduce novel phenotypic traits.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention, in one embodiment, comprises a method of inhibiting expression of a target gene in an invertebrate pest. Specifically, the present invention comprises a method of modulating or inhibiting expression of one or more target genes in an invertebrate pest, in particular, in Western corn rootworm (WCR, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) and the like, that cause cessation of feeding, growth, development, reproduction and infectivity and eventually result in the death of the insect. The method comprises introduction of partial or fully, stabilized double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) or its modified forms such as small interfering RNA (siRNA) sequences, into the cells or into the extracellular environment, such as the midgut, within an invertebrate pest body wherein the dsRNA or siRNA enters the cells and inhibits expression of at least one or more target genes and wherein inhibition of the one or more target genes exerts a deleterious effect upon the invertebrate pest. It is specifically contemplated that the methods and compositions of the present invention will be useful in limiting or eliminating invertebrate pest infestation in or on any pest host, pest symbiont, or environment in which a pest prefers by providing one or more compositions comprising dsRNA molecules in the diet of the pest so long as the pest digestive system pH is within the range of from about 4.5 to about 9.5, from about 5 to about 9, from about 6 to about 8, and from about pH 7.0.

The present application discloses an exemplary sequence listing containing the both the nucleotide and amino acid sequences from Western Corn Rootworm (WCR, Diabrotica virgifera), as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 and SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 and from other coleopteran insects including Colorado Potato Beetle (CPB, Leptinotarsa decemlineata) and Red Flour Beetle (RFB, Tribolium castaneum), from lepidopteran insects including European Corn Borer (ECB, Ostrinia nubilalis), Black Cutworm (BCW, Agrotis ipsilon), Corn Earworm (CEW, Helicoverpa zea), Fall Armyworm (PAW, Spodoptera frugiperda), Cotton Ball Weevil (BWV, Anthonomus grandis), silkworms (Bombyx mori) and Manduca sexta and from Dipteran insects including Drosophila melanogaster, Anopheles gambiae, and Aedes aegypti, as set forth in SEQ ID NO:144 through SEQ ID NO:159. The sequence listing is included along with the paper copy of this application on one CD-ROM diskette.

The computer readable form at file corresponding to the sequence listing contains the sequence listing information for corn rootworm Unigene sequences, EST sequences, corn rootworm specific probe sequences, primer sequences, amplicon sequences, and sequences encoding double stranded RNA sequences and the v-ATPase and ribosomal protein L19 orthologs from other insects as described above (SEQ ID NO:144 through SEQ ID NO:159).

The present invention provides a method for suppression of gene expression in an invertebrate pest such as a corn rootworm or related species comprises the step of providing in the diet of the pest a gene suppressive amount of at least one dsRNA molecule transcribed from a nucleotide sequence as set forth in, SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 and SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 in the sequence listing, at least one segment of which is complementary to an mRNA sequence formed within the cells of the pest, and observing the death, inhibition, stunting, or cessation of feeding of the pest.

In another aspect of the present invention, the method comprises the step of feeding to the pest one (or more) stabilized dsRNA molecules or its modified form such as an siRNA molecule the nucleotide sequence of which is at least from about 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, or about 100% identical to an RNA molecule transcribed from a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of, SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143, and SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174.

Accordingly, in another aspect of the present invention, a set of isolated and purified nucleotide sequences as set forth in, SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143, and SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing is provided. The nucleotide sequences disclosed herein as set forth in and SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 were isolated and substantially purified from complementary DNA (cDNA) libraries, made from WCR insect larvae. The nucleotide sequences disclosed herein as set forth in SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 in the sequence listing were isolated and substantially purified from the genomic DNA of the Southern corn rootworm insect pest, or from mRNA pools isolated from the insect pest, from cDNA nucleotide sequences derived from such mRNA pools, or synthesized denovo based on nucleotide sequences disclosed herein or known in the art as T7 phage RNA polymerase promoter sequences. The present invention provides a stabilized dsRNA or siRNA molecule or the expression of one or more miRNAs for inhibition of expression of a target gene in an invertebrate pest such as a WCR insect. A stabilized dsRNA, miRNA or siRNA molecule can comprise at least two coding sequences that are arranged in a sense and an antisense orientation relative to at least one promoter, wherein the nucleotide sequence that comprises a sense strand and an antisense strand are linked or connected by a spacer sequence of at least from about five to about one thousand nucleotides, wherein the sense strand and the antisense strand are different in length, and wherein each of the two coding sequences shares at least 80% sequence identity, at least 90%, at least 95%, at least 98%, or even 100% sequence identity, to a nucleotide sequence as set forth in one of, SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or in one of SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 in the sequence listing.

The invention also provides non-naturally occurring (NNO) nucleotide sequences that may be used to target genes in the invertebrate pest for double stranded RNA mediated suppression in order to achieve desired inhibition of the target genes. Any one of the nucleotide sequences as set forth in, and SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or in SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 may be used to construct such a NNO nucleotide sequence.

The present invention also provides a recombinant DNA construct encoding the dsRNA molecules contemplated herein for introduction into a host cell. The recombinant DNA construct comprises a nucleotide sequence that is transcribed into RNA by the host cell. The transcribed RNA forms at least one dsRNA molecule, such that one strand of the dsRNA molecule is coded by a portion of the nucleotide sequence which is at least from about 80% to about 100% identical to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group consisting of and SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 and SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174. The recombinant DNA construct is capable of producing dsRNA molecules in the host cell and inhibiting the expression of the endogenous gene or the target gene or a derivative thereof or a complementary sequence thereto in the host cell, or in a pest cell upon ingestion of the transformed host cell by an invertebrate pest. A nucleotide sequence of the present invention is placed under the control of a promoter sequence that is operable in the host cell and expressed to produce ribonucleic acid sequences that form dsRNA molecules within the host cell. The dsRNA molecules may be further processed either in the host cell or in an invertebrate pest to form siRNA molecules.

The present invention also provides a recombinant DNA sequence for plant transformation constructed to contain at least one non-naturally occurring nucleotide sequence that can be transcribed into a single stranded RNA molecule. The single stranded RNA molecule forms a double stranded RNA molecule in vivo through intermolecular hybridization that, when provided in the diet of an invertebrate pest, inhibits the expression of at least one target gene in a cell of the invertebrate pest. The non-naturally occurring nucleotide sequence is operably linked to at least one promoter sequence that functions in a transgenic plant cell to transcribe the operably linked non-naturally occurring nucleotide sequence into one or more ribonucleic acid sequences. The RNA sequences self assemble into double stranded RNA molecules and are provided in the diet of an invertebrate pest that feeds upon the transgenic plant. The provision of the dsRNA molecules in the diet of the pest achieves the desired inhibition of expression of one or more target genes within the pest.

The present invention also provides a recombinant host cell having in its genome at least one recombinant DNA sequence that is transcribed in the host cell to produce at least one dsRNA molecule that functions when ingested by an invertebrate pest to inhibit the expression of a target gene in the pest. The dsRNA molecule is coded by a portion of a nucleotide sequence that exhibits at least from about 80 to about 100% identity to a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 in the sequence listing. Exemplary nucleotide sequences for use in constructing dsRNA agents that target WCR genes for suppression are as set forth in, SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 and SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 in the sequence listing.

The present invention also provides a recombinant DNA construct for plant transformation that consists of at least two different non-naturally occurring sequences which, when expressed in vivo as RNA sequences and provided in the diet of an invertebrate pest, inhibit the expression of at least two different target genes in the cell of the invertebrate pest. The first non-naturally occurring sequence is transcribed into RNA that forms at least one first dsRNA molecule. One portion of the first dsRNA molecule is encoded by a portion of the first non-naturally occurring sequence and exhibits at least from about 80 to about 100% identity to at least one of the nucleotide sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or in SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 in the sequence listing, and to the nucleotide sequence of the first target gene, derivative thereof, or sequence complementary thereto. The second non-naturally occurring sequence is transcribed into RNA that forms a second dsRNA molecule. One portion of the second dsRNA molecule is encoded by a portion of the second non-naturally occurring sequence and exhibits at least from about 80 to about 100% identity to a nucleotide sequence selected from the group as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 and in SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 in the sequence listing and to the nucleotide sequence of the second target gene, derivative thereof, or sequence complementary thereto. The two non-naturally occurring sequences are placed operably under the control of at least one promoter sequence. The promoter sequence functions to express the first and second dsRNA molecules in the transgenic plant cell. The dsRNA molecules are provided in a pest inhibitory concentration in the diet of an invertebrate pest feeding on the transgenic plant, and ingestion of plant cells by the pest achieves the desired inhibition of expression of the target genes in the pest.

The present invention also provides a transformed plant cell having in its genome at least one of the aforementioned recombinant DNA sequences for plant transformation. Transgenic plants are generated from the transformed plant cell, and progeny plants, seeds, and plant products, each comprising the recombinant DNA, are produced from the transgenic plants.

The methods and compositions of the present invention may be applied to any monocot and dicot plant, depending on the invertebrate pest control desired, or may be applied to through pharmaceutically acceptable formulations to vertebrate animals in order to provide some level of reduction of invertebrate pest infestation. Specifically, the plants are intended to comprise without limitation alfalfa, aneth, apple, apricot, artichoke, arugula, asparagus, avocado, banana, barley, beans, beet, blackberry, blueberry, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, canola, cantaloupe, carrot, cassava, cauliflower, celery, cherry, cilantro, citrus, clementine, coffee, corn, cotton, cucumber, Douglas fir, eggplant, endive, escarole, eucalyptus, fennel, figs, gourd, grape, grapefruit, honey dew, jicama, kiwifruit, lettuce, leeks, lemon, lime, Loblolly pine, mango, melon, mushroom, nut, oat, okra, onion, orange, an ornamental plant, papaya, parsley, pea, peach, peanut, pear, pepper, persimmon, pine, pineapple, plantain, plum, pomegranate, poplar, potato, pumpkin, quince, radiata pine, radicchio, radish, raspberry, rice, rye, sorghum, Southern pine, soybean, spinach, squash, strawberry, sugarbeet, sugarcane, sunflower, sweet potato, sweetgum, tangerine, tea, tobacco, tomato, turf, a vine, watermelon, wheat, yams, and zucchini plants.

The present invention also provides a pest control agent comprising a dsRNA molecule transcribed from a nucleotide sequence of the present invention. The nucleotide sequence shares at least from about 80 to about 100% sequence identity to at least one of the nucleotide sequences as set forth in, in SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or in SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 in the sequence listing. In one form, the pest control agents comprise dsRNA molecules. In another form, the pest control agents comprise siRNA molecules. In still another form, the pest control agents comprise recombinant DNA sequences that encode mRNA molecules that form the dsRNA or siRNA molecules for introduction into plants and microbes. In yet another form, the pest control agents are microbes that contain recombinant DNA sequences that encode the RNA molecules that form the dsRNA or siRNA molecules. The pest control agent is preferably an insect or a nematode pest control agent.

It is intended that the pest control agent act to reduce or eliminate infestation of a corn rootworm, but it is also contemplated that the methods and compositions set forth herein are capable of being utilized to derive related sequences from other pests and utilize those derivatives for controlling infestation of the other pest(s). It is further contemplated that the insect pest may be selected from any genus, family, or order of insect. For corn rootworms, it is contemplated that the pest be selected from the same genus, same family, or order to which a corn rootworm belongs. Further, the present inventors contemplate that the present invention may be used and applied to control any species from the insect kingdom and from nematodes, fungal pathogens, virus, bacteria and any other invertebrate plant pests.

The invention also provides combinations of methods and compositions for controlling invertebrate pest infestations. One means provides the dsRNA methods and compositions described herein for protecting plants from insect infestation along with one or more insecticidal agents that exhibit features different from those exhibited by the dsRNA methods and compositions. For example, when Bt proteins are provided in the diet of insect pests a mode of action for controlling the insect pest is exhibited that is dramatically different from the mode of action of the methods and compositions of the present invention. A composition, either formulated for topical application or one derived using a transgenic approach that combines dsRNA methods and compositions with Bt methods and compositions results in synergies that were not known previously in the art for controlling insect infestation. Transgenic plants that produce one or more dsRNA or siRNA molecules that inhibit some essential biological function in a target pest along with one or more B.t. insecticidal proteins that are toxic to the target pest provide surprising synergies. One synergy is the reduction in the level of expression required for either the dsRNA(s) or the Bt protein(s). When combined together, a lower effective dose of each pest control agent is required. It is believed that the Bt insecticidal proteins create entry pores through which the dsRNA or siRNA molecules are able to penetrate more effectively into spaces remote from the gut of the insect pest, or more efficiently into the cells in the proximity of lesions created by the Bt proteins, thus requiring less of either the Bt or the dsRNA to achieve the desired insecticidal result or the desired inhibition or suppression of a targeted biological function in the target pest.

The inventors herein describe a plurality of inventions, including a method for controlling invertebrate pest infestations by providing a diet to an invertebrate pest an agent comprising or consisting of a ribonucleic acid that functions upon ingestion by the pest to inhibit the expression of a target nucleotide sequence that is within the cells of the pest. The ribonucleic acid that is provided in the diet consists of a ribonucleotide sequence that is, or that is complementary to, the target nucleotide sequence. The ribonucleotide sequence is transcribed from a contiguous DNA sequence that is at least from about 19 to about 5000 nucleotides in length and that is selected from the group consisting of SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143, SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174, and the complement thereof. The method provides for the construction of a nucleotide sequence that can be used to express an RNA molecule that can be ingested by the pest in a diet provided to the pest. The diet can be an artificial diet formulated to meet the particular nutritional requirements for maintaining a pest on such diet, and be supplemented with a pest controlling amount of the RNA that has been purified from a separate expression system, the supplementation of the diet being for the purpose of determining the pest controlling amount of the RNA composition, or determing whether one or more particular RNA's constructed specifically to bind or hybridize in part to one or more target sequences within the pest are functional in achieving some gene suppressive activity upon ingestion of the supplemented diet by the pest. The diet can also be a recombinant cell transformed with a DNA sequence constructed for expression of the agent, the RNA, or the gene suppression agent. Upon ingestion of one or more such transformed cells by the pest, a desired genotypic or phenotypic result is observed, indicating that the agent has functioned to inhibit the expression of a target nucleotide sequence that is within the cells of the pest.

The invertebrate pest is preferably an insect, an arachnid, a nematode, a platyhelminthe, an schelminthe, a fungal pest, or any other invertebrate pest for which the gene suppression technology is amenable. More preferably, the invertebrate pest is one that is particularly problematic in terms of infestation of animals or plants. More particularly, the invertebrate pest is an insect or a nematode or a fungal pest that preferentially infests crop plants, ornamentals, and/or grasses.

A DNA sequence that is selected for use in expression of a gene suppression agent of the present invention is preferably at least about 19 to about 5000 nucleotides in length, and is at least in part substantially identical in sequence to the sense or the antisense strand of a target sequence present in the DNA of one or more particular target pest species. The phrase “at least in part” is intended to refer to the concept that the DNA sequence selected for use in expression of a gene suppression agent can be constructed from a single sequence derived from one or more target pests and intended for use in expression of an RNA that functions in the suppression of a single gene or gene family in the one or more target pests, or that the DNA sequence can be constructed as a chimera from a plurality of DNA sequences. The plurality of DNA sequences can be each be derived from one or more nucleotide sequences from within a single pest, or can be derived one or more nucleotide sequences from a plurality of different pests. In particular the selected sequence should exhibit from about 80 to about 100% nucleotide sequence identity to a nucleotide sequence from the DNA of the pest species. The DNA of the pest species can be identified by directly isolating the DNA from the pest species or by identification of RNA sequences within the pest species and reverse translating the RNA sequences to DNA. Sequences exemplifying DNA from corn rootworm pest species are set forth herein in the sequence listing as SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143, SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174, and the complements thereof.

The DNA sequences selected for use in expression of a gene suppressive RNA molecule can be included in a polynucleotide composition for use in a plant cell. In particular the DNA sequences can be incorporated into a vector for use in transforming the genome of a plant cell, and can be incorporated into an expression cassette containing at least a plant functional promoter operably linked to the selected DNA sequence along with any other expression control elements desired to achieve an appropriate cellular temporal or plant spatial level of expression. The introduction of the polynucleotide composition into the genome of a plant cell provides a transformed cell that can be selected, providing that appropriate selective means have been included along with the polynucleotide composition, and regenerated into a transgenic recombinant plant. The transgenic plant, an event, can be provided in the diet of the pest or pests to achieve control of a pest infestation. The transgenic plant can give rise to progeny plants, plant cells, and seeds each containing the polynucleotide composition.

The present invention provides a method for protecting a platn from insect infestation by providing to the insec pest one or more of the plants' cells each expressing a gene suppressive RNA molecule from a DNA sequence that is selected from the group consisting of the sequences exemplified herein. The ingestion of the plant cells containing the gene suppressive RNA, the pest or insect control agent, results in the inhibition of one or more biological functions in the pest or insect.

The present invention provides a composition that contains two or more different pesticidal agents each toxic to the same pest or insect species. As indicated herein, one of these pesticidal agents can be a RNA molecule that functions to suppress an essential biological function in one or more cells of the pest. A second pesticidal agent can be included along with the first. The second agent can be a second gene suppressive RNA that is different from the first, or the second agent can be an agent selected from the group consisting of a patatin, a Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal protein, a Xenorhabdus insecticidal protein, a Photorhabdus insecticidal protein, a Bacillus laterosporous insecticidal protein, a Bacillus sphearicus insecticidal protein, and a lignin. A Bacillus thuringiensis insecticidal protein can be any of a number of insecticidal proteins including but not limited to a Cry1, a Cry3, a TIC851, a CryET70, a Cry22, a binary insecticidal protein CryET33 and CryET34, a binary insecticidal protein CryET80 and CryET76, a binary insecticidal protein TIC100 and TIC101, a binary insecticidal protein PS149B1, a VIP insecticidal protein, a TIC900 or related protein, a TIC901, TIC1201, TIC407, TIC417, and insecticidal chimeras of any of the preceding insecticidal proteins.

The gene targeted for suppression, or the function in a pest cell or as a physiological or metatabooic aspect of the pest that is enabled by the expression of the gene targeted for suppression, can encode an essential protein, the predicted function of which is selected from the group consisting of muscle formation, juvenile hormone formation, juvenile hormone regulation, ion regulation and transport, digestive enzyme synthesis, maintenance of cell membrane potential, amino acid biosynthesis, amino acid degradation, sperm formation, pheromone synthesis, pheromone sensing, antennae formation, wing formation, leg formation, development and differentiation, egg formation, larval maturation, digestive enzyme formation, haemolymph synthesis, haemolymph maintenance, neurotransmission, cell division, energy metabolism, respiration, and apoptosis. It is preferred that the DNA sequence selected for constructing the suppression construct be derived from the nucleotide sequences set forth in the sequence listing for suppression of a corn rootworm gene. It is envisioned that the method for controlling invertebrate pest infestation will include providing in the diet of the invertebrate pest an agent, for example, a first ribonucleotide sequence expressed from a first DNA sequence that functions upon ingestion by the pest to inhibit a biological function within said pest, and that the first DNA sequence exhibits from about 85 to about 100% nucleotide sequence identity to a coding sequence derived form said pest. The first ribonucleotide sequence may be hybridized to a second ribonucleotide sequence that is complimentary or substantially complimentary to the first ribonucleotide sequence, and the second ribonucleotide sequence is expressed from a second DNA sequence that corresponds to a coding sequence derived from the invertebrate pest, selected from the sequences set forth herein in the sequence listing, or the complements thereof. It is preferred that the first and the second DNA sequence comprise a contiguous sequence of identity to one or more of the sequences set forth in the sequence listing, and be from about 14 to about 25 or more contiguous nucleotides.

The invention functions at optimum when a diet containing a pest gene suppressive amount of an insecticidal agent, such as one or more RNA molecules produced from the expression of one or more sequences set forth herein in the sequence listing, are provided to an invertebrate pest that exhibits a digestive system pH that is from about 4.5 to about 9.5, or from about 5.0 to about 9.0, or from about 5.5 to about 8.5, or from about 6.0 to about 8.0, or from about 6.5 to about 7.0, or about 7.0. Any of the methods, nucleic acids, ribonucleic acids, ribonucleotide sequences, compositions, plants, plant cells, progeny plants, seeds, insect control agents, pest control agents, expression cassettes, described herein are optionally functional when provided in a diet to one or more pests that comprise such a digestive tract pH.

The diet of the present invention can be any pest sufficient diet including but not limited to an artificial diet or formulation, a plant cell, a plurality of plant cells, a plant tissue, a plant root, a plant seed, and a plant grown from a plant seed, wherein the diet comprises a pest inhibitory amount of an RNA molecule encoded from a DNA sequence that is or is complimentary to, or is substantially or is substantially complimentary to one or more contiguous at least from about 19 to about 5000 nucleotides selected from the nucleotide sequences set forth in the sequence listing, or selected from nucleotide sequences derived from a particular invertebrate pest species.

Agronomically and commercially important products and/or compositions of matter including but not limited to animal feed, commodities, and corn products and by-products that are intended for use as food for human consumption or for use in compositions and commodities that are intended for human consumption including but not limited to corn flour, corn meal, corn syrup, corn oil, corn starch, popcorn, corn cakes, cereals containing corn and corn by-products, and the like are intended to be within the scope of the present invention if these products and compositions of matter contain detectable amounts of the nucleotide sequences set forth herein as being diagnostic for any transgenic event containing such nucleotide sequences. These products are useful at least because they are likely to be derived from crops and produce that are propagated in fields containing fewer pesticides and organophosphates as a result of their incorporation of the nucleotides of the present invention for controlling the infestation of invertebrate pests in plants. Such commodities and commodity products are produced from seed produced from a transgenic plant, wherein the transgenic plant expresses RNA from one or more contiguous nucleotides of the present invention or nucleotides of one or more invertebrate pests and the compliments thereof. Such commodities and commodity products may also be useful in controlling invertebrate pests of such commodity and commodity products, such as for example, control of flour weevils, because of the presence in the commodity or commodity product of the pest gene suppressive RNA expressed from a gene sequence as set forth in the present invention.

The invention also provides a computer readable medium having recorded thereon one or more of the nucleotide sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or in SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing, or complements thereof, for use in a number of computer based applications, including but not limited to DNA identity and similarity searching, protein identity and similarity searching, transcription profiling characterizations, comparisons between genomes, and artificial hybridization analyses.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following is a detailed description of the invention provided to aid those skilled in the art in practicing the present invention. Those of ordinary skill in the art may make modifications and variations in the embodiments described herein without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

The inventors have herein discovered that, contrary to the teachings in the prior art, feeding a composition containing double stranded RNA molecules consisting of sequences found within one or more expressed nucleotide sequences of an invertebrate species to the invertebrate species from which the nucleotide sequences were obtained results in the inhibition of one or more biological functions within the invertebrate species. Particularly, the inventors have discovered that feeding double stranded RNA molecules consisting of corn rootworm RNA sequences respectively to corn rootworms results in the death or inhibition of development and differentiation of the corn rootworms that ingest these compositions.

The inventors have identified the nucleotide sequence of thousands of cDNA sequences obtained from each of the invertebrate pest species. Amino acid sequences encoded by the cDNA sequences were deduced and compared to all known amino acid sequences. Many of the cDNA sequences are predicted to encode proteins that have some annotation information associated with them. The annotation information that is associated with a particular nucleotide sequence and protein sequence encoded therefrom is based on homology or similarity between the amino acid sequences deduced through translation of the cDNA sequences described herein as set forth in and amino acid sequences that are known in the art in publicly available databases. The deduced amino acid sequences as set forth herein were BLASTX-ed against all known amino acid sequences, and likely functionalities of each of the deduced amino acid sequences were assigned based on the alignment results. cDNA sequences encoding proteins or parts of proteins known in the art to be essential for survival, such as amino acid sequences involved in various metabolic or catabolic biochemical pathways, cell division, reproduction, energy metabolism, digestion, neurological function and the like were selected for use in preparing double stranded RNA molecules that were provided in the diet of an invertebrate pest. As described herein, ingestion by a target pest of compositions containing one or more dsRNA's, at least one segment of which corresponds to at least a substantially identical segment of RNA produced in the cells of the target pest, resulted in death, stunting, or other inhibition of the target pest. These results indicated that a nucleotide sequence, either DNA or RNA, derived from an invertebrate pest can be used to construct a recombinant pest host or symbiont that is a target for infestation by the pest. The pest host or symbiont can be transformed to contain one or more of the nucleotide sequences derived from the invertebrate pest. The nucleotide sequence transformed into the pest host or symbiont encodes one or more RNA's that form into a dsRNA sequence in the cells or biological fluids within the transformed host or symbiont, thus making the dsRNA available in the diet of the pest if/when the pest feeds upon the transgenic host or symbiont, resulting in the suppression of expression of one or more genes in the cells of the pest and ultimately the death, stunting, or other inhibition of the pest.

The present invention relates generally to genetic control of invertebrate pest infestations in host organisms. More particularly, the present invention includes the methods for delivery of pest control agents to an invertebrate pest. Such pest control agents cause, directly or indirectly, an impairment in the ability of the pest to maintain itself, grow or otherwise infest a target host or symbiont. The present invention provides methods for employing stabilized dsRNA molecules in the diet of the pest as a means for suppression of targeted genes in the pest, thus achieving desired control of pest infestations in, or about the host or symbiont targeted by the pest. Transgenic plants can be produced using the methods of the present invention that express recombinant stabilized dsRNA or siRNA molecules.

In accomplishing the foregoing, the present invention provides a method of inhibiting expression of a target gene in an invertebrate pest, and in particular, in Western corn rootworm (WCR) or other coleopteran insect species, resulting in the cessation of feeding, growth, development, reproduction, infectivity, and eventually may result in the death of the pest. The method comprises introducing partial or fully, stabilized double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) nucleotide molecules or their modified forms such as small interfering RNA (siRNA) molecules into a nutritional composition that the pest relies on as a food source, and making the nutritional composition available to the pest for feeding. Ingestion of the nutritional composition containing the double stranded or siRNA molecules results in the uptake of the molecules by the cells of the pest, resulting in the inhibition of expression of at least one target gene in the cells of the pest. Inhibition of the target gene exerts a deleterious effect upon the pest. dsRNA molecules or siRNA molecules consist of nucleotide sequences as set forth in any of SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 and SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174, the inhibition of which results in the reduction or removal of a protein or nucleotide sequence agent that is essential for the pests' growth and development or other biological function. The nucleotide sequence selected exhibits from about 80% to at least about 100% sequence identity to one of the nucleotide sequences as set forth in, SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 and SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing, or the complement thereof. Such inhibition is specific in that a nucleotide sequence from a portion of the target gene is chosen from which the inhibitory dsRNA or siRNA is transcribed. The method is effective in inhibiting the expression of at least one target gene and can be used to inhibit many different types of target genes in the pest.

The present invention also provides different forms of the pest control agents to achieve the desired reduction in pest infestation. In one form, the pest control agents comprise dsRNA molecules. In another form, the pest control agents comprise siRNA molecules. In still another form, the pest control agents comprise recombinant DNA constructs that can be used to stably transform microorganisms or plants, enabling the transformed microbes or plants to encode the dsRNA or siRNA molecules. In another form, the pest control agents are microbes that contain the recombinant DNA constructs encoding the dsRNA or siRNA molecules.

Pairs of isolated and purified nucleotide sequences are provided from cDNA library and/or genomic library information. The pairs of nucleotide sequences are derived from any preferred invertebrate pest for use as thermal amplification primers to generate the dsRNA and siRNA molecules of the present invention.

The present invention provides recombinant DNA constructs for use in achieving stable transformation of particular host or symbiont pest targets. Transformed host or symbiont pest targets express pesticidally effective levels of preferred dsRNA or siRNA molecules from the recombinant DNA constructs, and provide the molecules in the diet of the pest.

The present invention also provides, as an example of a transformed host or symbiont pest target organism, transformed plant cells and transformed plants and their progeny. The transformed plant cells and transformed plants express one or more of the dsRNA or siRNA sequences of the present invention from one or more of the DNA sequences as set forth in, SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 and SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing, or the complement thereof.

As used herein the words “gene suppression”, when taken together, are intended to refer to any of the well-known methods for reducing the levels of protein produced as a result of gene transcription to mRNA and subsequent translation of the mRNA. Gene suppression is also intended to mean the reduction of protein expression from a gene or a coding sequence including posttranscriptional gene suppression and transcriptional suppression. Posttranscriptional gene suppression is mediated by the homology between of all or a part of a mRNA transcribed from a gene or coding sequence targeted for suppression and the corresponding double stranded RNA used for suppression, and refers to the substantial and measurable reduction of the amount of available mRNA available in the cell for binding by ribosomes. The transcribed RNA can be in the sense orientation to effect what is called co-suppression, in the anti-sense orientation to effect what is called anti-sense suppression, or in both orientations producing a dsRNA to effect what is called RNA interference (RNAi). Transcriptional suppression is mediated by the presence in the cell of a dsRNA, a gene suppression agent, exhibiting substantial sequence identity to a promoter DNA sequence or the complement thereof to effect what is referred to as promoter trans suppression. Gene suppression may be effective against a native plant gene associated with a trait, e.g., to provide plants with reduced levels of a protein encoded by the native gene or with enhanced or reduced levels of an affected metabolite. Gene suppression can also be effective against target genes in plant pests that may ingest or contact plant material containing gene suppression agents, specifically designed to inhibit or suppress the expression of one or more homologous or complementary sequences in the cells of the pest.

Post-transcriptional gene suppression by anti-sense or sense oriented RNA to regulate gene expression in plant cells is disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,107,065, 5,759,829, 5,283,184, and 5,231,020. The use of dsRNA to suppress genes in plants is disclosed in WO 99/53050, WO 99/49029, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2003/0175965, and 2003/0061626, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/465,800, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,506,559, and 6,326,193.

A preferred method of post transcriptional gene suppression in plants employs both sense-oriented and anti-sense-oriented, transcribed RNA which is stabilized, e.g., as a hairpin and stem and loop structure. A preferred DNA construct for effecting post transcriptional gene suppression one in which a first segment encodes an RNA exhibiting an anti-sense orientation exhibiting substantial identity to a segment of a gene targeted for suppression, which is linked to a second segment encoding an RNA exhibiting substantial complementarity to the first segment. Such a construct would be expected to form a stem and loop structure by hybridization of the first segment with the second segment and a loop structure from the nucleotide sequences linking the two segments (see WO94/01550, WO98/05770, US 2002/0048814, and US 2003/0018993).

As used herein, the term “nucleic acid” refers to a single or double-stranded polymer of deoxyribonucleotide or ribonucleotide bases read from the 5′ to the 3′ end. The “nucleic acid” may also optionally contain non-naturally occurring or altered nucleotide bases that permit correct read through by a polymerase and do not reduce expression of a polypeptide encoded by that nucleic acid. The term “nucleotide sequence” or “nucleic acid sequence” refers to both the sense and antisense strands of a nucleic acid as either individual single strands or in the duplex. The term “ribonucleic acid” (RNA) is inclusive of RNAi (inhibitory RNA), dsRNA (double stranded RNA), siRNA (small interfering RNA), mRNA (messenger RNA), miRNA (micro-RNA), tRNA (transfer RNA, whether charged or discharged with a corresponding acylated amino acid), and cRNA (complementary RNA) and the term “deoxyribonucleic acid” (DNA) is inclusive of cDNA and genomic DNA and DNA-RNA hybrids. The words “nucleic acid segment”, “nucleotide sequence segment”, or more generally “segment” will be understood by those in the art as a functional term that includes both genomic sequences, ribosomal RNA sequences, transfer RNA sequences, messenger RNA sequences, operon sequences and smaller engineered nucleotide sequences that express or may be adapted to express, proteins, polypeptides or peptides.

As used herein, the term “pest” refers to insects, arachnids, crustaceans, fungi, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, flatworms, roundworms, pinworms, hookworms, tapeworms, trypanosomes, schistosomes, botflies, fleas, ticks, mites, and lice and the like that are pervasive in the human environment and that may ingest or contact one or more cells, tissues, or fluids produced by a pest host or symbiont transformed to express or coated with a double stranded gene suppression agent or that may ingest plant material containing the gene suppression agent. As used herein, a “pest resistance” trait is a characteristic of a transgenic plant, transgenic animal, transgenic host or transgenic symbiont that causes the plant, animal, host, or symbiont to be resistant to attack from a pest that typically is capable of inflicting damage or loss to the plant, animal, host or symbiont. Such pest resistance can arise from a natural mutation or more typically from incorporation of recombinant DNA that confers pest resistance. To impart insect resistance to a transgenic plant a recombinant DNA can, for example, encode an insect lethal or insect inhibitory protein such as a delta endotoxin derived from a B. thuringiensis bacterium, e.g. as is used in commercially available varieties of cotton and corn, or be transcribed into a RNA molecule that forms a dsRNA molecule within the tissues or fluids of the recombinant plant. The dsRNA molecule is comprised in part of a segment of RNA that is identical to a corresponding RNA segment encoded from a DNA sequence within an insect pest that prefers to feed on the recombinant plant. Expression of the gene within the target insect pest is suppressed by the dsRNA, and the suppression of expression of the gene in the target insect pest results in the plant being insect resistant. Fire et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,599) generically described inhibition of pest infestation, providing specifics only about several nucleotide sequences that were effective for inhibition of gene function in the nematode species Caenorhabditis elegans. Similarly, Plaetinck et al. (US 2003/0061626) describe the use of dsRNA for inhibiting gene function in a variety of nematode pests. Mesa et al. (US 2003/0150017) describe using dsDNA sequences to transform host cells to express corresponding dsRNA sequences that are substantially identical to target sequences in specific pathogens, and particularly describe constructing recombinant plants expressing such dsRNA sequences for ingestion by various plant pests, facilitating down-regulation of a gene in the genome of the pest and improving the resistance of the plant to the pest infestation.

The present invention provides for inhibiting gene expression of one or multiple target genes in a target insect using stabilized dsRNA methods. The invention is particularly useful in the modulation of eukaryotic gene expression, in particular the modulation of expression of genes present in insects that exhibit a digestive system pH level that is from about 4.5 to about 9.5, more preferably from about 5.0 to about 8.0, and even more preferably from about 6.5 to about 7.5. Plant pests with a digestive system that exhibits pH levels outside of these ranges are not preferred candidates for double stranded RNA mediated methods for gene suppression using a delivery method that requires ingestion of the preferred dsRNA molecules. The modulatory effect is applicable to a variety of genes expressed in the pests including, for example, endogenous genes responsible for cellular metabolism or cellular transformation, including house keeping genes, transcription factors and other genes which encode polypeptides involved in cellular metabolism.

As used herein, the term “expression” refers to the transcription and stable accumulation of sense or antisense RNA derived from the nucleic acids disclosed in the present invention. Expression may also refer to translation of mRNA into a polypeptide or protein. As used herein, the term “sense” RNA refers to an RNA transcript corresponding to a sequence or segment that, when produced by the target pest, is in the form of a mRNA that is capable of being translated into protein by the target pest cell. As used herein, the term “antisense RNA” refers to an RNA transcript that is complementary to all or a part of a mRNA that is normally produced in a cell of a target pest. The complementarity of an antisense RNA may be with any part of the specific gene transcript, i.e., at the 5′ non-coding sequence, 3′ non-translated sequence, introns, or the coding sequence. As used herein, the term “RNA transcript” refers to the product resulting from RNA polymerase-catalyzed transcription of a DNA sequence. When the RNA transcript is a perfect complementary copy of the DNA sequence, it is referred to as the primary transcript or it may be an RNA sequence derived from post-transcriptional processing of the primary transcript and is referred to as the mature RNA.

As used herein, the phrase “inhibition of gene expression” or “inhibiting expression of a target gene in the cell of an insect” refers to the absence (or observable decrease) in the level of protein and/or mRNA product from the target gene. Specificity refers to the ability to inhibit the target gene without manifest effects on other genes of the cell and without any effects on any gene within the cell that is producing the dsRNA molecule. The inhibition of gene expression of the target gene in the insect pest may result in novel phenotypic traits in the insect pest.

Without limiting the scope of the present invention, there is provided, in one aspect, a method for controlling infestation of a target insect using the stabilized dsRNA strategies. The method involves generating stabilized dsRNA molecules as one type of the insect control agents to induce gene silencing in an insect pest. The insect control agents of the present invention induce directly or indirectly post-transcriptional gene silencing events of target genes in the insect. Down-regulation of expression of the target gene prevents or at least retards the insect's growth, development, reproduction and infectivity to hosts. As used herein, the phrase “generating stabilized dsRNA molecule” refers to the methods of employing recombinant DNA technologies readily available in the art (e.g., by Sambrook, et al., In: Molecular Cloning, A Laboratory Manual, 2nd Edition, Cold Spring Harbor Press, Cold Spring Harbor, N.Y., 1989) to construct a DNA nucleotide sequence that transcript the stabilized dsRNA. The detailed construction methods of the present invention are disclosed below in this disclosure. As used herein, the term “silencing” refers the effective “down-regulation” of expression of the targeted nucleotide sequence and, hence, the elimination of the ability of the sequence to cause an effect within the insect's cell.

The present invention provides in part a delivery system for the delivery of the insect control agents to insects through their exposure to a diet containing the insect control agents of the present invention. In accordance with one of the embodiments, the stabilized dsRNA or siRNA molecules may be incorporated in the insect diet or may be overlaid on the top of the diet for consumption by an insect.

The present invention also provides in part a delivery system for the delivery of the insect control agents to insects through their exposure to an microorganism or a host such as a plant containing the insect control agents of the present invention by ingestion of the microorganism or the host cells or the contents of the cells. In accordance with another one of the embodiments, the present invention involves generating a transgenic plant cell or a plant that contains a recombinant DNA construct transcribing the stabilized dsRNA molecules of the present invention. As used herein, the phrase “generating a transgenic plant cell or a plant” refers to the methods of employing the recombinant DNA technologies readily available in the art (e.g., by Sambrook, et al.) to construct a plant transformation vector transcribing the stabilized dsRNA molecules of the present invention, to transform the plant cell or the plant and to generate the transgenic plant cell or the transgenic plant that contain the transcribed, stabilized dsRNA molecules. In particular, the method of the present invention may comprise the recombinant construct in a cell of a plant that results in dsRNA transcripts that are substantially homologous to an RNA sequence encoded by a nucleotide sequence within the genome of an insect. Where the nucleotide sequence within the genome of an insect encodes a gene essential to the viability and infectivity of the insect, its down-regulation results in a reduced capability of the insect to survive and infect host cells. Hence, such down-regulation results in a “deleterious effect” on the maintenance viability and infectivity of the insect, in that it prevents or reduces the insect's ability to feed off and survive on nutrients derived from the host cells. By virtue of this reduction in the insect's viability and infectivity, resistance and/or enhanced tolerance to infection by an insect is facilitated in the cells of a plant. Genes in the insect may be targeted at the mature (adult), immature (larval), or egg stages.

In still another embodiment, non-pathogenic, attenuated strains of microorganisms may be used as a carrier for the insect control agents and, in this perspective, the microorganisms carrying such agents are also referred to as insect control agents. The microorganisms may be engineered to express a nucleotide sequence of a target gene to produce RNA molecules comprising RNA sequences homologous or complementary to RNA sequences typically found within the cells of an insect. Exposure of the insects to the microorganisms result in ingestion of the microorganisms and down-regulation of expression of target genes mediated directly or indirectly by the RNA molecules or fragments or derivatives thereof.

The present invention alternatively provides exposure of an insect to the insect control agents of the present invention incorporated in a spray mixer and applied to the surface of a host, such as a host plant. In an exemplary embodiment, ingestion of the insect control agents by an insect delivers the insect control agents to the gut of the insect and subsequently to the cells within the body of the insect. In another embodiment, infection of the insect by the insect control agents through other means such as by injection or other physical methods also permits delivery of the insect control agents. In yet another embodiment, the RNA molecules themselves are encapsulated in a synthetic matrix such as a polymer and applied to the surface of a host such as a plant. Ingestion of the host cells by an insect permits delivery of the insect control agents to the insect and results in down-regulation of a target gene in the host.

It is envisioned that the compositions of the present invention can be incorporated within the seeds of a plant species either as a product of expression from a recombinant gene incorporated into a genome of the plant cells, or incorporated into a coating or seed treatment that is applied to the seed before planting. The plant cell containing a recombinant gene is considered herein to be a transgenic event.

It is believed that a pesticidal seed treatment can provide significant advantages when combined with a transgenic event that provides protection from invertebrate pest infestation that is within the preferred effectiveness range against a target pest. In addition, it is believed that there are situations that are well known to those having skill in the art, where it is advantageous to have such transgenic events within the preferred range of effectiveness.

The present invention also includes seeds and plants having more that one transgenic event. Such combinations are referred to as “stacked” transgenic events. These stacked transgenic events can be events that are directed at the same target pest, or they can be directed at different target pests. In one preferred method, a seed having the ability to express a Cry 3 protein or insecticidal variant thereof also has the ability to express at least one other insecticidal agent including but not limited to a protein that is different from a Cry 3 protein and/or an RNA molecule the sequence of which is derived from the sequence of an RNA expressed in a target pest and that forms a double stranded RNA structure upon expressing in the seed or cells of a plant grown from the seed, wherein the ingestion of one or more cells of the plant by the target pest results in the suppression of expression of the RNA in the cells of the target pest.

In another preferred method, the seed having the ability to express a dsRNA the sequence of which is derived from a target pest also has a transgenic event that provides herbicide tolerance. It is preferred that the transgenic event that provides herbicide tolerance is an event that provides resistance to glyphosate, N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine, including the isopropylamine salt form of such herbicide.

In the present method, a seed comprising a transgenic event is treated with a pesticide. It is believed that the combination of a transgenic seed exhibiting bioactivity against a target pest as a result of the production of an insecticidal amount of an insecticidal dsRNA within the cells of the transgenic seed or plant grown from the seed coupled with treatment of the seed with certain chemical or protein pesticides provides unexpected synergistic advantages to seeds having such treatment, including unexpectedly superior efficacy for protection against damage to the resulting transgenic plant by the target pest. In particular, it is believed that the treatment of a transgenic seed that is capable of expressing certain constructs that form dsRNA molecules, the sequence of which are derived from one or more sequences expressed in a corn rootworm, with from about 100 gm to about 400 gm of certain pesticides per 100 kg of seed provided unexpectedly superior protection against corn rootworm. In addition, it is believed that such combinations are also effective to protect the emergent corn plants against damage by black cutworm. The seeds of the present invention are also believed to have the property of decreasing the cost of pesticide use, because less of the pesticide can be used to obtain a required amount of protection than if the innovative composition and method is not used. Moreover, because less pesticide is used and because it is applied prior to planting and without a separate field application, it is believed that the subject method is therefore safer to the operator and to the environment, and is potentially less expensive than conventional methods.

When it is said that some effects are “synergistic”, it is meant to include the synergistic effects of the combination on the pesticidal activity (or efficacy) of the combination of the transgenic event and the pesticide. However, it is not intended that such synergistic effects be limited to the pesticidal activity, but that they should also include such unexpected advantages as increased scope of activity, advantageous activity profile as related to type and amount of damage reduction, decreased cost of pesticide and application, decreased pesticide distribution in the environment, decreased pesticide exposure of personnel who produce, handle and plant corn seeds, and other advantages known to those skilled in the art.

Pesticides ans insecticides that are useful in compositions in combination with the methods and compositions of the present invention, including as seed treatments and coatings as well as methods for using such compositions can be found, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,551,962, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.

It has been found that the present invention is useful to protect seeds and plants against a wide array of agricultural pests, including insects, mites, fungi, yeasts, molds, bacteria, nematodes, weeds, and parasitic and saprophytic plants.

It is preferred that the seed treatments and coatings described herein be used along with transgenic seeds of the present invention, in particular by application of a pesticidal agent other than the dsRNA molecules derived from the sequences described herein as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 and SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing, or the complements thereof to a transgenic seed. Although it is believed that the seed treatments can be applied to a transgenic seed in any physiological state, it is preferred that the seed be in a sufficiently durable state that it incurs no damage during the treatment process. Typically, the seed would be a seed that had been harvested from the field; removed from the transgenic plant; and separated from any other non-seed plant material. The seed would preferably also be biologically stable to the extent that the treatment would cause no biological damage to the seed. In one embodiment, for example, the treatment can be applied to seed corn that has been harvested, cleaned and dried to a moisture content below about 15% by weight. In an alternative embodiment, the seed can be one that has been dried and then primed with water and/or another material and then re-dried before or during the treatment with the pesticide. Within the limitations just described, it is believed that the treatment can be applied to the seed at any time between harvest of the seed and sowing of the seed. As used herein, the term “unsown seed” is meant to include seed at any period between the harvest of the seed and the sowing of the seed in the ground for the purpose of germination and growth of the plant.

When it is said that unsown seed is “treated” with the pesticide, such treatment is not meant to include those practices in which the pesticide is applied to the soil, rather than to the seed. For example, such treatments as the application of the pesticide in bands, “T”-bands, or in-furrow, at the same time as the seed is sowed are not considered to be included in the present invention.

The pesticide, or combination of pesticides, can be applied “neat”, that is, without any diluting or additional components present. However, the pesticide is typically applied to the seeds in the form of a pesticide formulation. This formulation may contain one or more other desirable components including but not limited to liquid diluents, binders to serve as a matrix for the pesticide, fillers for protecting the seeds during stress conditions, and plasticizers to improve flexibility, adhesion and/or spreadability of the coating. In addition, for oily pesticide formulations containing little or no filler, it may be desirable to add to the formulation drying agents such as calcium carbonate, kaolin or bentonite clay, perlite, diatomaceous earth or any other adsorbent material. Use of such components in seed treatments is known in the art. See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 5,876,739. The skilled artisan can readily select desirable components to use in the pesticide formulation depending on the seed type to be treated and the particular pesticide that is selected. In addition, readily available commercial formulations of known pesticides may be used, as demonstrated in the examples below.

The subject pesticides can be applied to a seed as a component of a seed coating. Seed coating methods and compositions that are known in the art are useful when they are modified by the addition of one of the embodiments of the combination of pesticides of the present invention. Such coating methods and apparatus for their application are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,918,413, 5,891,246, 5,554,445, 5,389,399, 5,107,787, 5,080,925, 4,759,945 and 4,465,017. Seed coating compositions are disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,939,356, 5,882,713, 5,876,739, 5,849,320, 5,834,447, 5,791,084, 5,661,103, 5,622,003, 5,580,544, 5,328,942, 5,300,127, 4,735,015, 4,634,587, 4,383,391, 4,372,080, 4,339,456, 4,272,417 and 4,245,432, among others.

The pesticides that are useful in the coating are those pesticides that are described herein. The amount of pesticide that is used for the treatment of the seed will vary depending upon the type of seed and the type of active ingredients, but the treatment will comprise contacting the seeds with an amount of the combination of pesticides that is pesticidally effective. When insects are the target pest, that amount will be an amount of the insecticide that is insecticidally effective. As used herein, an insecticidally effective amount means that amount of insecticide that will kill insect pests in the larvae or pupal state of growth, or will consistently reduce or retard the amount of damage produced by insect pests.

In general, the amount of pesticide that is applied to the seed in the treatment will range from about 10 gm to about 2000 gm of the active ingredient of the pesticide per 100 kg of the weight of the seed. Preferably, the amount of pesticide will be within the range of about 50 gm to about 1000 gm active per 100 kg of seed, more preferably within the range of about 100 gm to about 600 gm active per 100 kg of seed, and even more preferably within the range of about 200 gm to about 500 gm of active per 100 kg of seed weight. Alternatively, it has been found to be preferred that the amount of the pesticide be over about 60 gm of the active ingredient of the pesticide per 100 kg of the seed, and more preferably over about 80 gm per 100 kg of seed.

The pesticides that are used in the treatment must not inhibit germination of the seed and should be efficacious in protecting the seed and/or the plant during that time in the target insect's life cycle in which it causes injury to the seed or plant. In general, the coating will be efficacious for approximately 0 to 120 days after sowing.

The pesticides of the subject invention can be applied to the seed in the form of a coating. The use of a coating is particularly effective in accommodating high pesticidal loads, as can be required to treat typically refractory pests, such as corn rootworm, while at the same time preventing unacceptable phytotoxicity due to the increased pesticidal load.

The coatings formed with a pesticide composition contemplated herein are preferably capable of effecting a slow rate of release of the pesticide by diffusion or movement through the matrix to the surrounding medium.

In addition to the coating layer, the seed may be treated with one or more of the following ingredients: other pesticides including fungicides and herbicides; herbicidal safeners; fertilizers and/or biocontrol agents. These ingredients may be added as a separate layer or alternatively may be added in the pesticidal coating layer.

The pesticide formulation may be applied to the seeds using conventional coating techniques and machines, such as fluidized bed techniques, the roller mill method, rotostatic seed treaters, and drum coaters. Other methods, such as spouted beds may also be useful. The seeds may be presized before coating. After coating, the seeds are typically dried and then transferred to a sizing machine for sizing. Such procedures are known in the art.

As used herein, the term “insect control agent”, or “gene suppression agent” refers to a particular RNA molecule consisting of a first RNA segment and a second RNA segment linked by a third RNA segment. The first and the second RNA segments lie within the length of the RNA molecule and are substantially inverted repeats of each other and are linked together by the third RNA segment. The complementarity between the first and the second RNA segments results in the ability of the two segments to hybridize in vivo and in vitro to form a double stranded molecule, i.e., a stem, linked together at one end of each of the first and second segments by the third segment which forms a loop, so that the entire structure forms into a stem and loop structure, or even more tightly hybridizing structures may form into a stem-loop knotted structure. The first and the second segments correspond invariably and not respectively to a sense and an antisense sequence with respect to the target RNA transcribed from the target gene in the target insect pest that is suppressed by the ingestion of the dsRNA molecule. The insect control agent can also be a substantially purified (or isolated) nucleic acid molecule and more specifically nucleic acid molecules or nucleic acid fragment molecules thereof from a genomic DNA (gDNA) or cDNA library. Alternatively, the fragments may comprise smaller oligonucleotides having from about 15 to about 250 nucleotide residues, and more preferably, about 15 to about 30 nucleotide residues. The “insect control agent” may also refer to a DNA construct that comprises the isolated and purified nucleic acid molecules or nucleic acid fragment molecules thereof from a gDNA or cDNA library. The “insect control agent” may further refer to a microorganism comprising such a DNA construct that comprises the isolated and purified nucleic acid molecules or nucleic acid fragment molecules thereof from a gDNA or cDNA library. As used herein, the phrase “generating an insect control agent” refers to the methods of employing the recombinant DNA technologies readily available in the art (e.g., by Sambrook, et al.) to prepare a recombinant DNA construct transcribing the stabilized dsRNA or siRNA molecules, to construct a vector transcribing the stabilized dsRNA or siRNA molecules, and/or to transform and generate the cells or the microorganisms that contain the transcribed, stabilized dsRNA or siRNA molecules. The method of the present invention provides for the production of a dsRNA transcript, the nucleotide sequence of which is substantially homologous to a targeted RNA sequence encoded by a target nucleotide sequence within the genome of a target insect pest.

As used herein, the term “genome” as it applies to cells of an insect or a host encompasses not only chromosomal DNA found within the nucleus, but organelle DNA found within subcellular components of the cell. The DNA's of the present invention introduced into plant cells can therefore be either chromosomally integrated or organelle-localized. The term “genome” as it applies to bacteria encompasses both the chromosome and plasmids within a bacterial host cell. The DNA's of the present invention introduced into bacterial host cells can therefore be either chromosomally integrated or plasmid-localized.

Inhibition of target gene expression may be quantified by measuring either the endogenous target RNA or the protein produced by translation of the target RNA and the consequences of inhibition can be confirmed by examination of the outward properties of the cell or organism. Techniques for quantifying RNA and proteins are well known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Multiple selectable markers are available that confer resistance to ampicillin, bleomycin, chloramphenicol, gentamycin, hygromycin, kanamycin, lincomycin, methotrexate, phosphinothricin, puromycin, spectinomycin, rifampicin, and tetracyclin, and the like.

In certain preferred embodiments gene expression is inhibited by at least 10%, preferably by at least 33%, more preferably by at least 50%, and yet more preferably by at least 80%. In particularly preferred embodiments of the invention gene expression is inhibited by at least 80%, more preferably by at least 90%, more preferably by at least 95%, or by at least 99% within cells in the insect so a significant inhibition takes place. Significant inhibition is intended to refer to sufficient inhibition that results in a detectable phenotype (e.g., cessation of larval growth, paralysis or mortality, etc.) or a detectable decrease in RNA and/or protein corresponding to the target gene being inhibited. Although in certain embodiments of the invention inhibition occurs in substantially all cells of the insect, in other preferred embodiments inhibition occurs in only a subset of cells expressing the gene. For example, if the gene to be inhibited plays an essential role in cells in the insect alimentary tract, inhibition of the gene within these cells is sufficient to exert a deleterious effect on the insect.

The advantages of the present invention may include, but are not limited to, the following: the ease of introducing dsRNA into the insect cells, the low concentration of dsRNA or siRNA which can be used, the stability of dsRNA or siRNA, and the effectiveness of the inhibition. The ability to use a low concentration of a stabilized dsRNA avoids several disadvantages of anti-sense interference. The present invention is not limited to in vitro use or to specific sequence compositions, to a particular set of target genes, a particular portion of the target gene's nucleotide sequence, or a particular transgene or to a particular delivery method, as opposed to the some of the available techniques known in the art, such as antisense and co-suppression. Furthermore, genetic manipulation becomes possible in organisms that are not classical genetic models.

In practicing the present invention, it is important that the presence of the nucleotide sequences that are transcribed from the recombinant construct are neither harmful to cells of the plant in which they are expressed in accordance with the invention, nor harmful to an animal food chain and in particular humans. Because the produce of the plant may be made available for human ingestion, the down-regulation of expression of the target nucleotide sequence occurs only in the insect.

Therefore, in order to achieve inhibition of a target gene selectively within an insect species that it is desired to control, the target gene should preferably exhibit a low degree of sequence identity with corresponding genes in a plant or a vertebrate animal. Preferably the degree of the sequence identity is less than approximately 80%. More preferably the degree of the sequence identity is less than approximately 70%. Most preferably the degree of the sequence identity is less than approximately 60%.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a nucleotide sequence, for which in vitro expression results in transcription of a stabilized RNA sequence that is substantially homologous to an RNA molecule of a targeted gene in an insect that comprises an RNA sequence encoded by a nucleotide sequence within the genome of the insect. Thus, after the insect ingests the stabilized RNA sequence incorporated in a diet or sprayed on a plant surface, a down-regulation of the nucleotide sequence corresponding to the target gene in the cells of a target insect is affected. The down-regulated nucleotide sequence in the insect results in a deleterious effect on the maintenance, viability, proliferation, reproduction and infectivity of the insect. Therefore, the nucleotide sequence of the present invention may be useful in modulating or controlling infestation by a range of insects.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a nucleotide sequence, the expression of which in a microbial cell results in a transcription of an RNA sequence which is substantially homologous to an RNA molecule of a targeted gene in an insect that comprises an RNA sequence encoded by a nucleotide sequence within the genome of the insect. Thus, after the insect ingests the stabilized RNA sequence contained in the cell of the microorganism, it will affect down-regulation of the nucleotide sequence of the target gene in the cells of the insect. The down-regulated nucleotide sequence in the insect results in a deleterious effect on the maintenance, viability, proliferation, reproduction and infestation of the insect. Therefore, the nucleotide sequence of the present invention may be useful in modulating or controlling infestation by a range of insects.

According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a nucleotide sequence, the expression of which in a plant cell results in a transcription of an RNA sequence which is substantially homologous to an RNA molecule of a targeted gene in an insect that comprises an RNA sequence encoded by a nucleotide sequence within the genome of the insect. Thus, after the insect ingests the stabilized RNA sequence contained in the cell of the plant, it will affect down-regulation of the nucleotide sequence of the target gene in the cells of the insect. The down-regulated nucleotide sequence in the insect results in a deleterious effect on the maintenance, viability, proliferation, reproduction and infestation of the insect. Therefore, the nucleotide sequence of the present invention may be useful in modulating or controlling infestation by a range of insects in plants.

As used herein, the term “substantially homologous” or “substantial homology”, with reference to a nucleic acid sequence, refers to a nucleotide sequence that hybridizes under stringent conditions to the coding sequence as set forth in any of SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or in any of SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing, or the complements thereof. Sequences that hybridize under stringent conditions to any of SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or any of SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing, or the complements thereof, are those that allow an antiparallel alignment to take place between the two sequences, and the two sequences are then able, under stringent conditions, to form hydrogen bonds with corresponding bases on the opposite strand to form a duplex molecule that is sufficiently stable under the stringent conditions to be detectable using methods well known in the art. Such substantially homologous sequences have preferably from about 65% to about 70% sequence identity, or more preferably from about 80% to about 85% sequence identity, or most preferable from about 90% to about 95% sequence identity, to about 99% sequence identity, to the referent nucleotide sequences as set forth in any of SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or in any of SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing, or the complements thereof.

As used herein, the term “sequence identity”, “sequence similarity” or “homology” is used to describe sequence relationships between two or more nucleotide sequences. The percentage of “sequence identity” between two sequences is determined by comparing two optimally aligned sequences over a comparison window, wherein the portion of the sequence in the comparison window may comprise additions or deletions (i.e., gaps) as compared to the reference sequence (which does not comprise additions or deletions) for optimal alignment of the two sequences. The percentage is calculated by determining the number of positions at which the identical nucleic acid base or amino acid residue occurs in both sequences to yield the number of matched positions, dividing the number of matched positions by the total number of positions in the window of comparison, and multiplying the result by 100 to yield the percentage of sequence identity. A sequence that is identical at every position in comparison to a reference sequence is said to be identical to the reference sequence and vice-versa. A first nucleotide sequence when observed in the 5′ to 3′ direction is said to be a “complement” of, or complementary to, a second or reference nucleotide sequence observed in the 3′ to 5′ direction if the first nucleotide sequence exhibits complete complementarity with the second or reference sequence. As used herein, nucleic acid sequence molecules are said to exhibit “complete complementarity” when every nucleotide of one of the sequences read 5′ to 3′ is complementary to every nucleotide of the other sequence when read 3′ to 5′. A nucleotide sequence that is complementary to a reference nucleotide sequence will exhibit a sequence identical to the reverse complement sequence of the reference nucleotide sequence. These terms and descriptions are well defined in the art and are easily understood by those of ordinary skill in the art.

As used herein, a “comparison window” refers to a conceptual segment of at least 6 contiguous positions, usually about 50 to about 100, more usually about 100 to about 150, in which a sequence is compared to a reference sequence of the same number of contiguous positions after the two sequences are optimally aligned. The comparison window may comprise additions or deletions (i.e. gaps) of about 20% or less as compared to the reference sequence (which does not comprise additions or deletions) for optimal alignment of the two sequences Those skilled in the art should refer to the detailed methods used for sequence alignment in the Wisconsin Genetics Software Package Release 7.0, Genetics Computer Group, 575 Science Drive Madison, Wis., USA) or refer to Ausubel et al. (1998) for a detailed discussion of sequence analysis.

The target gene of the present invention is derived from an insect cell or alternatively, a foreign gene such as a foreign genetic sequence from a virus, a fungus, an insect or a nematode, among others. By “derived” it is intended that a sequence is all or a part of the naturally occurring nucleotide sequence of the target gene from the genome of an insect cell, particularly all or a part of the naturally occurring nucleotide sequence of the capped, spliced, and polyadenylated mRNA expressed from the naturally occurring DNA sequence as found in the cell if the gene is a structural gene, or the sequence of all or a part of an RNA that is other than a structural gene including but not limited to a tRNA, a catalytic RNA, a ribosomal RNA, a micro-RNA, and the like. A sequence is derived from one of these naturally occurring RNA sequences if the derived sequence is produced based on the nucleotide sequence of the native RNA, exhibits from about 80% to about 100% sequence identity to the native sequence, and hybridizes to the native sequence under stringent hybridization conditions. In one embodiment, the target gene comprises a nucleotide sequence as set forth in any of SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or in any of SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing, or the complements thereof. Depending on the particular target gene and the dose of dsRNA molecules delivered, this process may provide partial or complete loss of function for the target gene, or any desired level of suppression in between.

The present invention also provides an artificial DNA sequence capable of being expressed in a cell or microorganism and which is capable of inhibiting target gene expression in a cell, tissue or organ of an insect, wherein the artificial DNA sequence at least comprises a dsDNA molecule coding for one or more different nucleotide sequences, wherein each of the different nucleotide sequences comprises a sense nucleotide sequence and an antisense nucleotide sequence connected by a spacer sequence coding for a dsRNA molecule of the present invention. The spacer sequence constitutes part of the sense nucleotide sequence or the antisense nucleotide sequence and will form within the dsRNA molecule between the sense and antisense sequences. The sense nucleotide sequence or the antisense nucleotide sequence is substantially identical to the nucleotide sequence of the target gene or a derivative thereof or a complementary sequence thereto. The dsDNA molecule is placed operably under the control of a promoter sequence that functions in the cell, tissue or organ of the host expressing the dsDNA to produce dsRNA molecules. In one embodiment, the artificial DNA sequence may be derived from a nucleotide sequence as set forth in, in SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or in SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing.

The invention also provides an artificial DNA sequence for expression in a cell of a plant, and that, upon expression of the DNA to RNA and ingestion by a target pest achieves suppression of a target gene in a cell, tissue or organ of an insect pest. The dsRNA at least comprises one or multiple structural gene sequences, wherein each of the structural gene sequences comprises a sense nucleotide sequence and an antisense nucleotide sequence connected by a spacer sequence that forms a loop within the complementary and antisense sequences. The sense nucleotide sequence or the antisense nucleotide sequence is substantially identical to the nucleotide sequence of the target gene, derivative thereof, or sequence complementary thereto. The one or more structural gene sequences is placed operably under the control of one or more promoter sequences, at least one of which is operable in the cell, tissue or organ of a prokaryotic or eukaryotic organism, particularly an insect. In one embodiment, the artificial DNA sequence comprises from about, from about SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143, or from about SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing or the complements thereof.

As used herein, the term “non naturally occurring gene”, “non-naturally occurring coding sequences”, “artificial sequence”, or “synthetic coding sequences” for transcribing the dsRNA or siRNA of the present invention or fragments thereof refers to those prepared in a manner involving any sort of genetic isolation or manipulation that results in the preparation of a coding sequence that transcribes a dsRNA or a siRNA of the present invention or fragments thereof. This includes isolation of the coding sequence from its naturally occurring state, manipulation of the coding sequence as by (1) nucleotide insertion, deletion, or substitution, (2) segment insertion, deletion, or substitution, (3) chemical synthesis such as phosphoramidite chemistry and the like, site-specific mutagenesis, truncation of the coding sequence or any other manipulative or isolative method.

The non-naturally occurring gene sequence or fragment thereof according to this aspect of the invention for WCR control may be cloned between two tissue specific promoters, such as two root specific promoters which are operable in a transgenic plant cell and therein expressed to produce mRNA in the transgenic plant cell that form dsRNA molecules thereto. The dsRNA molecules contained in plant tissues are ingested by an insect so that the intended suppression of the target gene expression is achieved.

The present invention also provides a method for obtaining a nucleic acid comprising a nucleotide sequence for producing a dsRNA or siRNA of the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the method of the present invention for obtaining the nucleic acid comprising: (a) probing a cDNA or gDNA library with a hybridization probe comprising all or a portion of a nucleotide sequence or a homolog thereof from a targeted insect; (b) identifying a DNA clone that hybridizes with the hybridization probe; (c) isolating the DNA clone identified in step (b); and (d) sequencing the cDNA or gDNA fragment that comprises the clone isolated in step (c) wherein the sequenced nucleic acid molecule transcribes all or a substantial portion of the RNA nucleotide acid sequence or a homolog thereof.

In another preferred embodiment, the method of the present invention for obtaining a nucleic acid fragment comprising a nucleotide sequence for producing a substantial portion of a dsRNA or siRNA of the present invention comprising: (a) synthesizing a first and a second oligonucleotide primers corresponding to a portion of one of the nucleotide sequences from a targeted insect; and (b) amplifying a cDNA or gDNA insert present in a cloning vector using the first and second oligonucleotide primers of step (a) wherein the amplified nucleic acid molecule transcribes a substantial portion of the a substantial portion of a dsRNA or siRNA of the present invention.

In practicing the present invention, a target gene may be derived from a corn rootworm (CRW), such as a WCR or a SCR, or any insect species that cause damages to the crop plants and subsequent yield losses. The present inventors contemplate that several criteria may be employed in the selection of preferred target genes. The gene is one whose protein product has a rapid turnover rate, so that dsRNA inhibition will result in a rapid decrease in protein levels. In certain embodiments it is advantageous to select a gene for which a small drop in expression level results in deleterious effects for the insect. If it is desired to target a broad range of insect species a gene is selected that is highly conserved across these species. Conversely, for the purpose of conferring specificity, in certain embodiments of the invention, a gene is selected that contains regions that are poorly conserved between individual insect species, or between insects and other organisms. In certain embodiments it may be desirable to select a gene that has no known homologs in other organisms.

As used herein, the term “derived from” refers to a specified nucleotide sequence that may be obtained from a particular specified source or species, albeit not necessarily directly from that specified source or species.

In one embodiment, a gene is selected that is expressed in the insect gut. Targeting genes expressed in the gut avoids the requirement for the dsRNA to spread within the insect. Target genes for use in the present invention may include, for example, those that share substantial homologies to the nucleotide sequences of known gut-expressed genes that encode protein components of the plasma membrane proton V-ATPase (Dow et al., 1997, J. Exp. Biol., 200:237-245; Dow, Bioenerg. Biomemb., 1999, 31:75-83). This protein complex is the sole energizer of epithelial ion transport and is responsible for alkalinization of the midgut lumen. The V-ATPase is also expressed in the Malpighian tubule, an outgrowth of the insect hindgut that functions in fluid balance and detoxification of foreign compounds in a manner analogous to a kidney organ of a mammal.

In another embodiment, a gene is selected that is essentially involved in the growth, development, and reproduction of an insect. Exemplary genes include but are not limited to a CHD3 gene and a β-tubulin gene. The CHD3 gene in Drosophila melanogaster encodes a protein with ATP-dependent DNA helicase activity that is involved in chromatin assembly/disassembly in the nucleus. Similar sequences have been found in diverse organisms such as Arabidopsis thaliana, Caenorhabditis elegans, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The beta-tubulin gene family encodes microtubule-associated proteins that are a constituent of the cellular cytoskeleton. Related sequences are found in such diverse organisms as Caenorhabditis elegans, and Manduca Sexta.

Other target genes for use in the present invention may include, for example, those that play important roles in the viability, growth, development, reproduction and infectivity. These target genes may be one of the house keeping genes, transcription factors and insect specific genes or lethal knockout mutations in Drosophila. The target genes for use in the present invention may also be those that are from other organisms, e.g., from a nematode (e.g., C. elegans). Additionally, the nucleotide sequences for use in the present invention may also be derived from plant, viral, bacterial or fungal genes whose functions have been established from literature and the nucleotide sequences of which share substantial similarity with the target genes in the genome of an insect. According to one aspect of the present invention for WCR control, the target sequences may essentially be derived from the targeted WCR insect. Some of the exemplary target sequences from cDNA library from WCR that encode D. v. virgifera proteins or fragments thereof which are homologues of known proteins may be found in the Sequence Listing.

Nucleic acid molecules from D. virgifera encoding homologs of known proteins are known (Andersen et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/205,189).

Although the sequences described in Andersen et al. are primarily in reference to WCR, it is preferred in the practice of the invention to use DNA segments whose sequences exhibit at least from about 80% identity, or at least from 90% identity, or at least from 95% identity, or at least from 98% identity, or at least about 100% identity to sequences corresponding to genes or coding sequences within the pest for which control is desired. Sequences less than about 80% identical to a target gene are less effective. Inhibition is specific to the pests' gene or genes, the sequence of which corresponds to the dsRNA. Expression of unrelated genes is not affected. This specificity allows the selective targeting of pest species, resulting in no effect on other organisms exposed to the compositions of the present invention.

A DNA segment for use in the present invention is at least from about 19 to about 23, or about 23 to about 100 nucleotides, but less than about 2000 nucleotides, in length.

The invention is not limited to the specific genes described herein but encompasses any gene, the inhibition of which exerts a deleterious effect on an insect pest.

For many of the insects that are potential targets for control by the present invention, there may be limited information regarding the sequences of most genes or the phenotype resulting from mutation of particular genes. Therefore, the present inventors contemplate that selection of appropriate genes from insect pests for use in the present invention may be accomplished through use of information available from study of the corresponding genes in a model organism such in Drosophila, in some other insect species, or even in a nematode species, in a fungal species, in a plant species, in which the genes have been characterized. In some cases it will be possible to obtain the sequence of a corresponding gene from a target insect by searching databases such as GenBank using either the name of the gene or the sequence from, for example, Drosophila, another insect, a nematode, a fungus, or a plant from which the gene has been cloned. Once the sequence is obtained, PCR may be used to amplify an appropriately selected segment of the gene in the insect for use in the present invention.

In order to obtain a DNA segment from the corresponding gene in an insect species, PCR primers are designed based on the sequence as found in WCR or other insects from which the gene has been cloned. The primers are designed to amplify a DNA segment of sufficient length for use in the present invention. DNA (either genomic DNA or cDNA) is prepared from the insect species, and the PCR primers are used to amplify the DNA segment. Amplification conditions are selected so that amplification will occur even if the primers do not exactly match the target sequence. Alternately, the gene (or a portion thereof) may be cloned from a gDNA or cDNA library prepared from the insect pest species, using the WCR gene or another known insect gene as a probe. Techniques for performing PCR and cloning from libraries are known. Further details of the process by which DNA segments from target insect pest species may be isolated based on the sequence of genes previously cloned from WCR or other insect species are provided in the Examples. One of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that a variety of techniques may be used to isolate gene segments from insect pest species that correspond to genes previously isolated from other species.

Insects that may cause damage in plants generally belong to three categories based upon their methods of feeding and these three categories are, respectively, chewing, sucking and boring insects that belong to the Orders Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Orthoptera, Heteroptera, Ctenophalides, Arachnidiae, and Hymenoptera. The chewing insects that eat plant tissue, such as roots, leaves, flowers, buds and twigs, cause major damage. Examples from this large insect category include beetles and their larvae. WCR and SCR belong to the chewing insects. Their larvae feed on roots of a plant, in particular, a corn plant, and adults mainly on the foliage. Genes derived from the WCR or SCR or from any one species of the above listed orders may be considered as targets for performing the present invention.

It has been found that the present method is useful to protect seeds and plants against a wide array of agricultural pests, including insects, mites, fungi, yeasts, molds, bacteria, nematodes, weeds, and parasitic and saprophytic plants, and the like.

When an insect is the target pest for the present invention, such pests include but are not limited to: from the order Lepidoptera, for example, Acleris spp., Adoxophyes spp., Aegeria spp., Agrotis spp., Alabama argillaceae, Amnylois spp., Anticarsia gemmatalis, Archips spp, Argyrotaenia spp., Autographa spp., Busseola fusca, Cadra cautella, Carposina nipponensis, Chilo spp., Choristoneura spp., Clysia ambiguella, Cnaphalocrocis spp., Cnephasia spp., Cochylis spp., Coleophora spp., Crocidolomia binotalis, Cryptophlebia leucotreta, Cydia spp., Diatraea spp., Diparopsis castanea, Earias spp., Ephestia spp., Eucosma spp., Eupoecilia ambiguella, Euproctis spp., Euxoa spp., Grapholita spp., Hedya nubiferana, Heliothis spp., Hellula undalis, Hyphantria cunea, Keiferia lycopersicella, Leucoptera scitella, Lithocollethis spp., Lobesia botrana, Lymantria spp., Lyonetia spp., Malacosoma spp., Mamestra brassicae, Manduca sexta, Operophtera spp., Ostrinia Nubilalis, Pammene spp., Pandemis spp., Panolis flammea, Pectinophora gossypiella, Phthorinaea operculella, Pieris rapae, Pieris spp., Plutella xylostella, Prays spp., Scirpophaga spp., Sesamia spp., Sparganothis spp., Spodoptera spp., Synanthedon spp., Thawnetopoea spp., Tortrix spp., Trichoplusia ni and Yponomeuta spp.;

from the order Coleoptera, for example,

Agriotes spp., Anthonomus spp., Atomaria linearis, Chaetocnema tibialis, Cosmopolites spp., Curculio spp., Dennestes spp., Diabrotica spp., Epilachna spp., Eremnus spp., Leptinotarsa decemlineata, Lissorhoptrus spp., Melolontha spp., Orycaephilus spp., Otiorhynchus spp., Phlyctinus spp., Popillia spp., Psylliodes spp., Rhizopertha spp., Scarabeidae, Sitophilus spp., Sitotroga spp., Tenebrio spp., Tribolium spp. and Trogoderna spp.;

from the order Orthoptera, for example,

Blatta spp., Blattella spp., Gryllotalpa spp., Leucophaea maderae, Locusta spp., Periplaneta ssp., and

Schistocerca spp.;

from the order Isoptera, for example,

Reticulitemes ssp;

from the order Psocoptera, for example,

Liposcelis spp.;

from the order Anoplura, for example,

Haematopinus spp., Linognathus spp., Pediculus spp., Pemphigus spp. and Phylloxera spp.;

from the order Mallophaga, for example,

Damalinea spp. and Trichodectes spp.;

from the order Thysanoptera, for example,

Franklinella spp., Hercinothrips spp., Taeniothrips spp., Thrips palmi, Thrips tabaci and Scirtothrips auranti;

from the order Heteroptera, for example,

Cimex spp., Distantiella theobroma, Dysdercus spp., Euchistus spp., Eurygaster spp., Leptocorisa spp., Nezara spp., Piesma spp., Rhodnius spp., Saldbergella singularis, Scotinophara spp., Triatoma spp., Miridae family app. such as Lygus hesperus and Lygus lineoloris, Lygaeidae family spp. such as Blissus leucopterus, and Pentatomidae family spp.;

from the order Homoptera, for example,

Aleurothrixus floccosus, Aleyrodes brassicae, Aonidiella spp., Aphididae, Aphis spp., Aspidiotus spp., Bemisia tabaci, Ceroplaster spp., Chrysomphalus aonidium, Chrysomphalus dictyospermi, Coccus hesperidun, Empoasca spp., Eriosoma larigerum, Erythroneura spp., Gascardia spp., Laodelphax spp., Lacanium corni, Lepidosaphes spp., Macrosiphus spp., Myzus spp., Nehotettix spp., Nilaparvata spp., Paratoria spp., Pemphigus spp., Planococcus spp., Pseudaulacaspis spp., Pseudococcus spp., Psylla ssp., Pulvinaria aethiopica, Quadraspidiotus app., Rhopalosiphum spp., Saissetia spp., Scaphoideus spp., Schizaphis spp., Sitobion spp., Trialeurodes vaporariorun, Trioza erytreae and Unaspis citri;

from the order Hymenoptera, for example,

Acromynnex, Atta spp., Cephus spp., Diprion spp., Diprionidae, Gilpinia polytoma, Hoplocampa spp., Lasius sppp., Monomorium pharaonis, Neodiprion spp, Solenopsis spp. and Vespa ssp.;

from the order Diptera, for example,

Aedes spp., Antherigona soccata, Bibio hortulanus, Calliphora erythrocephala, Ceratitis spp., Chrysomyia spp., Culex spp., Cuterebra spp., Dacus spp., Drosophila melanogaster, Fannia spp., Gastrophilus spp., Glossina spp., Hypoderma spp., Hyppobosca spp., Liriomysa spp., Lucilia spp., Melanagronyza spp., Musca ssp., Oestrus spp., Orseolia spp., Oscinella frit, Pegomyia hyoscyami, Phorbia spp., Rhagoletis pomonella, Sciara spp., Stomoxys spp., Tabanus spp., Tannia spp. and Tipula spp.,

from the order Siphonaptera, for example,

Ceratophyllus spp. und Xenopsylla cheopis and

from the order Thysanura, for example,

Lepisma saccharina.

It has been found that the present invention is particularly effective when the insect pest is a Diabrotica spp., and especially when the pest is Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (Western Corn Rootworm, WCR), Diabrotica barberi (Northern Corn Rootworm, NCR), Diabrotica virgifera zeae (Mexican Corn Rootworm, MCR), Diabrotica balteata (Brazilian Corn Rootworm (BZR) or Brazilian Corn Rootworm complex (BCR) consisting of Diabrotica viridula and Diabrotica speciosa), or Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardii (Southern Corn Rootworm, SCR).

The present invention is also particularly effective for controlling species of insects that pierce and/or suck the fluids from the cells and tissues of plants, including but not limited to stinkbugs (Pentatomidae family species), and plant bugs in the Miridae family such as western tarnished plant bugs (Lygus hesperus species), tarnished plant bugs (Lygus lineolaris species), and pale legume bugs (Lygus elisus).

Modifications of the methods disclosed herein are also surprisingly particularly useful in controlling crop pests within the order lepidopteran.

The present invention provides stabilized dsRNA or siRNA molecules for control of insect infestations. The dsRNA or siRNA nucleotide sequences comprise double strands of polymerized ribonucleotide and may include modifications to either the phosphate-sugar backbone or the nucleoside. Modifications in RNA structure may be tailored to allow specific genetic inhibition.

In one embodiment, the dsRNA molecules may be modified through an enzymatic process so the siRNA molecules may be generated. The siRNA can efficiently mediate the down-regulation effect for some target genes in some insects. This enzymatic process may be accomplished by utilizing an RNAse II enzyme or a DICER enzyme, present in the cells of an insect, a vertebrate animal, a fungus or a plant in the eukaryotic RNAi pathway (Elbashir et al., 2002, Methods, 26(2):199-213; Hamilton and Baulcombe, 1999, Science 286:950-952). This process may also utilize a recombinant DICER or RNAse III introduced into the cells of a target insect through recombinant DNA techniques that are readily known to the skilled in the art. Both the DICER enzyme and RNAse III, being naturally occurring in an insect or being made through recombinant DNA techniques, cleave larger dsRNA strands into smaller oligonucleotides. The DICER enzymes specifically cut the dsRNA molecules into siRNA pieces each of which is about 19-25 nucleotides in length while the RNAse III enzymes normally cleave the dsRNA molecules into 12-15 base-pair siRNA. The siRNA molecules produced by the either of the enzymes have 2 to 3 nucleotide 3′ overhangs, and 5′ phosphate and 3′ hydroxyl termini. The siRNA molecules generated by RNAse ID enzyme are the same as those produced by Dicer enzymes in the eukaryotic RNAi pathway and are hence then targeted and degraded by an inherent cellular RNA-degrading mechanism after they are subsequently unwound, separated into single-stranded RNA and hybridize with the RNA sequences transcribed by the target gene. This process results in the effective degradation or removal of the RNA sequence encoded by the nucleotide sequence of the target gene in the insect. The outcome is the silencing of a particularly targeted nucleotide sequence within the insect. Detailed descriptions of enzymatic processes can be found in Hannon (2002, Nature, 418:244-251).

Inhibition of a target gene using the stabilized dsRNA technology of the present invention is sequence-specific in that nucleotide sequences corresponding to the duplex region of the RNA are targeted for genetic inhibition. RNA containing a nucleotide sequences identical to a portion of the target gene is preferred for inhibition. RNA sequences with insertions, deletions, and single point mutations relative to the target sequence have also been found to be effective for inhibition. In performance of the present invention, it is preferred that the inhibitory dsRNA and the portion of the target gene share at least from about 80% sequence identity, or from about 90% sequence identity, or from about 95% sequence identity, or from about 99% sequence identity, or even about 100% sequence identity. Alternatively, the duplex region of the RNA may be defined functionally as a nucleotide sequence that is capable of hybridizing with a portion of the target gene transcript. A less than full length sequence exhibiting a greater homology compensates for a longer less homologous sequence. The length of the identical nucleotide sequences may be at least about 25, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 or at least about 1000 bases. Normally, a sequence of greater than 20-100 nucleotides should be used, though a sequence of greater than about 200-300 nucleotides would be preferred, and a sequence of greater than about 500-1000 nucleotides would be especially preferred depending on the size of the target gene. The invention has the advantage of being able to tolerate sequence variations that might be expected due to genetic mutation, strain polymorphism, or evolutionary divergence. The introduced nucleic acid molecule may not need to be absolute homology, may not need to be full length, relative to either the primary transcription product or fully processed mRNA of the target gene. Therefore, those skilled in the art need to realize that, as disclosed herein, 100% sequence identity between the RNA and the target gene is not required to practice the present invention.

The dsRNA molecules may be synthesized either in vivo or in vitro. The dsRNA may be formed by a single self-complementary RNA strand or from two complementary RNA strands. Endogenous RNA polymerase of the cell may mediate transcription in vivo, or cloned RNA polymerase can be used for transcription in vivo or in vitro. Inhibition may be targeted by specific transcription in an organ, tissue, or cell type; stimulation of an environmental condition (e. g., infection, stress, temperature, chemical inducers); and/or engineering transcription at a developmental stage or age. The RNA strands may or may not be polyadenylated; the RNA strands may or may not be capable of being translated into a polypeptide by a cell's translational apparatus.

The RNA, dsRNA, siRNA, or miRNA of the present invention may be produced chemically or enzymatically by one skilled in the art through manual or automated reactions or in vivo in another organism. RNA may also be produced by partial or total organic synthesis; any modified ribonucleotide can be introduced by in vitro enzymatic or organic synthesis. The RNA may be synthesized by a cellular RNA polymerase or a bacteriophage RNA polymerase (e.g., 13, T7, SP6). The use and production of an expression construct are known in the art (see, for example, WO 97/32016; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,593,874, 5,698,425, 5,712,135, 5,789,214, and 5,804,693). If synthesized chemically or by in vitro enzymatic synthesis, the RNA may be purified prior to introduction into the cell. For example, RNA can be purified from a mixture by extraction with a solvent or resin, precipitation, electrophoresis, chromatography, or a combination thereof. Alternatively, the RNA may be used with no or a minimum of purification to avoid losses due to sample processing. The RNA may be dried for storage or dissolved in an aqueous solution. The solution may contain buffers or salts to promote annealing, and/or stabilization of the duplex strands.

For transcription from a transgene in vivo or an expression construct, a regulatory region (e.g., promoter, enhancer, silencer, and polyadenylation) may be used to transcribe the RNA strand (or strands). Therefore, in one embodiment, the nucleotide sequences for use in producing RNA molecules may be operably linked to one or more promoter sequences functional in a microorganism, a fungus or a plant host cell. Ideally, the nucleotide sequences are placed under the control of an endogenous promoter, normally resident in the host genome. The nucleotide sequence of the present invention, under the control of an operably linked promoter sequence, may further be flanked by additional sequences that advantageously affect its transcription and/or the stability of a resulting transcript. Such sequences are generally located upstream of the operably linked promoter and/or downstream of the 3′ end of the expression construct and may occur both upstream of the promoter and downstream of the 3′ end of the expression construct, although such an upstream sequence only is also contemplated.

In another embodiment, the nucleotide sequence of the present invention may comprise an inverted repeat separated by a “spacer sequence”. The spacer sequence may be a region comprising any sequence of nucleotides that facilitates secondary structure formation between each repeat, where this is required. In one embodiment of the present invention, the spacer sequence is part of the sense or antisense coding sequence for mRNA. The spacer sequence may alternatively comprise any combination of nucleotides or homologues thereof that are capable of being linked covalently to a nucleic acid molecule. The spacer sequence may comprise a sequence of nucleotides of at least about 10-100 nucleotides in length, or alternatively at least about 100-200 nucleotides in length, at least 200-400 about nucleotides in length, or at least about 400-500 nucleotides in length.

For the purpose of the present invention, the dsRNA or siRNA molecules may be obtained from the CRW by polymerase chain (PCR) amplification of a target CRW gene sequences derived from a corn rootworm gDNA or cDNA library or portions thereof. The WCR larvae may be prepared using methods known to the ordinary skilled in the art and DNA/RNA may be extracted. Larvae with various sizes ranging from 1^(st) instars to fully-grown CRWs may be used for the purpose of the present invention for DNA/RNA extraction. Genomic DNA or cDNA libraries generated from WCR may be used for PCR amplification for production of the dsRNA or siRNA.

The target genes may be then be PCR amplified and sequenced using the methods readily available in the art. One skilled in the art may be able to modify the PCR conditions to ensure optimal PCR product formation. The confirmed PCR product may be used as a template for in vitro transcription to generate sense and antisense RNA with the included minimal promoters.

The present inventors contemplate that nucleic acid sequences identified and isolated from any insect species in the insect kingdom may be used in the present invention for control of WCR and another targeted insects. In one aspect of the present invention, the nucleic acid may be derived from a species from a coleopteran species. Specifically, the nucleic acid may be derived from leaf beetles belonging to the genus Diabrotica (Coleoptera, Chrysomelidae) and more specifically the nucleic acid molecules of the present invention may be derived from species in the virgifera group. Most specifically, the nucleic acid molecules of the present invention may be derived from Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte that is normally referred to as WCR. The isolated nucleic acids may be useful, for example, in identifying a target gene and in constructing a recombinant vector that produce stabilized dsRNAs or siRNAs of the present invention for protecting plants from WCR insect infestations.

Therefore, in one embodiment, the present invention comprises isolated and purified nucleotide sequences from WCR or Lygus that may be used as the insect control agents. The isolated and purified nucleotide sequences comprise those as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or in SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing.

The nucleic acids from WCR or other insects that may be used in the present invention may also comprise isolated and substantially purified Unigenes and EST nucleic acid molecules or nucleic acid fragment molecules thereof. EST nucleic acid molecules may encode significant portions of, or indeed most of, the polypeptides. Alternatively, the fragments may comprise smaller oligonucleotides having from about 15 to about 250 nucleotide residues, and more preferably, about 15 to about 30 nucleotide residues. Alternatively, the nucleic acid molecules for use in the present invention may be from cDNA libraries from WCR, from Lygus, or from any other invertebrate pest species.

As used herein, the phrase “a substantially purified nucleic acid”, “an artificial sequence”, “an isolated and substantially purified nucleic acid”, or “an isolated and substantially purified nucleotide sequence” refers to a nucleic acid that is no longer accompanied by some of materials with which it is associated in its natural state or to a nucleic acid the structure of which is not identical to that of any of naturally occurring nucleic acid. Examples of a substantially purified nucleic acid include: (1) DNAs which have the sequence of part of a naturally occurring genomic DNA molecules but are not flanked by two coding sequences that flank that part of the molecule in the genome of the organism in which it naturally occurs; (2) a nucleic acid incorporated into a vector or into the genomic DNA of a prokaryote or eukaryote in a manner such that the resulting molecule is not identical to any naturally occurring vector or genomic DNA; (3) a separate molecule such as a cDNA, a genomic fragment, a fragment produced by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), or a restriction fragment; (4) recombinant DNAs; and (5) synthetic DNAs. A substantially purified nucleic acid may also be comprised of one or more segments of cDNA, genomic DNA or synthetic DNA.

Nucleic acid molecules and fragments thereof from WCR, Lygus, or other invertebrate pest species may be employed to obtain other nucleic acid molecules from other species for use in the present invention to produce desired dsRNA and siRNA molecules. Such nucleic acid molecules include the nucleic acid molecules that encode the complete coding sequence of a protein and promoters and flanking sequences of such molecules. In addition, such nucleic acid molecules include nucleic acid molecules that encode for gene family members. Such molecules can be readily obtained by using the above-described nucleic acid molecules or fragments thereof to screen cDNA or gDNA libraries obtained from D. v. virgifera or from Lygus hesperus. Methods for forming such libraries are well known in the art.

Nucleic acid molecules and fragments thereof from WCR or Lygus may also be employed to obtain other nucleic acid molecules such as nucleic acid homologues for use in the present invention to produce desired dsRNA and siRNA molecules. Such homologues include the nucleic acid molecules that encode, in whole or in part, protein homologues of other species, plants or other organisms. Such molecules can be readily obtained by using the above-described nucleic acid molecules or fragments thereof to screen EST, cDNA or gDNA libraries. Methods for forming such libraries are well known in the art. Such homologue molecules may differ in their nucleotide sequences from those found in one or more of, in SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or in SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing or complements thereof disclosed herein, because complete complementarity is not needed for stable hybridization. These nucleic acid molecules also include molecules that, although capable of specifically hybridizing with the nucleic acid molecules may lack complete complementarity. In a particular embodiment, methods for 3′ or 5′ RACE may be used to obtain such sequences (Frohman, M. A. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (U.S.A.) 85:8998-9002 (1988); Ohara, O. et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. (U.S.A.) 86:5673-5677 (1989)). In general, any of the above described nucleic acid molecules or fragments may be used to generate dsRNAs or siRNAs that are suitable for use in a diet, in a spray-on mixer or in a recombinant DNA construct of the present invention.

As used herein, the phrase “coding sequence”, “structural nucleotide sequence” or “structural nucleic acid molecule” refers to a nucleotide sequence that is translated into a polypeptide, usually via mRNA, when placed under the control of appropriate regulatory sequences. The boundaries of the coding sequence are determined by a translation start codon at the 5′-terminus and a translation stop codon at the 3′-terminus. A coding sequence can include, but is not limited to, genomic DNA, cDNA, EST and recombinant nucleotide sequences.

The term “recombinant DNA” or “recombinant nucleotide sequence” refers to DNA that contains a genetically engineered modification through manipulation via mutagenesis, restriction enzymes, and the like.

The nucleic acid molecules or fragment of the nucleic acid molecules or other nucleic acid molecules from WCR are capable of specifically hybridizing to other nucleic acid molecules under certain circumstances. As used herein, two nucleic acid molecules are said to be capable of specifically hybridizing to one another if the two molecules are capable of forming an anti-parallel, double-stranded nucleic acid structure. A nucleic acid molecule is said to be the complement of another nucleic acid molecule if they exhibit complete complementarity. Two molecules are said to be “minimally complementary” if they can hybridize to one another with sufficient stability to permit them to remain annealed to one another under at least conventional “low-stringency” conditions. Similarly, the molecules are said to be complementary if they can hybridize to one another with sufficient stability to permit them to remain annealed to one another under conventional “high-stringency” conditions. Conventional stringency conditions are described by Sambrook, et al., and by Haymes, et al. In: Nucleic Acid Hybridization, A Practical Approach, IRL Press, Washington, D.C. (1985).

Departures from complete complementarity are therefore permissible, as long as such departures do not completely preclude the capacity of the molecules to form a double-stranded structure. Thus, in order for a nucleic acid molecule or a fragment of the nucleic acid molecule to serve as a primer or probe it needs only be sufficiently complementary in sequence to be able to form a stable double-stranded structure under the particular solvent and salt concentrations employed.

Appropriate stringency conditions which promote DNA hybridization are, for example, 6.0×sodium chloride/sodium citrate (SSC) at about 45° C., followed by a wash of 2.0×SSC at 50° C., are known to those skilled in the art or can be found in Current Protocols in Molecular Biology, John Wiley & Sons, N.Y. (1989), 6.3.1-6.3.6. For example, the salt concentration in the wash step can be selected from a low stringency of about 2.0×SSC at 50° C. to a high stringency of about 0.2×SSC at 50° C. In addition, the temperature in the wash step can be increased from low stringency conditions at room temperature, about 22° C., to high stringency conditions at about 65° C. Both temperature and salt may be varied, or either the temperature or the salt concentration may be held constant while the other variable is changed.

A nucleic acid for use in the present invention may specifically hybridize to one or more of nucleic acid molecules from WCR or complements thereof under moderately stringent conditions, for example at about 2.0×SSC and about 65° C. A nucleic acid for use in the present invention will include those nucleic acid molecules that specifically hybridize to one or more of the nucleic acid molecules disclosed therein as set forth in, in SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or in SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing or complements thereof under high stringency conditions. Preferably, a nucleic acid for use in the present invention will exhibit at least from about 80%, or at least from about 90%, or at least from about 95%, or at least from about 98% or even about 100% sequence identity with one or more nucleic acid molecules as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or in SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing, or as disclosed herein; or a nucleic acid for use in the present invention will exhibit at from about 80%, or at least from about 90%, or at least from about 95%, or at least from about 98% or even about 100% sequence identity with one or more nucleic acid molecules as set forth in, in SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or in SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing isolated from the genomic DNA of an insect pest.

All or a substantial portion of the nucleic acids from WCR may be used to isolate cDNAs, gDNAs and nucleic acids encoding Diabrotica protein homologues or fragments thereof from the same or other species. The detailed descriptions of the techniques on isolation and identification of nucleic acids of the present invention from cDNA or gDNA libraries are disclosed in the examples.

Nucleic acids of the present invention may also be synthesized, either completely or in part, especially where it is desirable to provide plant-preferred sequences, by methods known in the art. Thus, all or a portion of the nucleic acids of the present invention may be synthesized using codons preferred by a selected host. Species-preferred codons may be determined, for example, from the codons used most frequently in the proteins expressed in a particular host species. Other modifications of the nucleotide sequences may result in mutants having slightly altered activity.

The present invention provides in part a delivery system for the delivery of insect control agents to insects. The stabilized dsRNA or siRNA molecules of the present invention may be directly introduced into the cells of an insect, or introduced into an extracellular cavity, interstitial space, lymph system, digestive system, into the circulation of the insect through oral ingestion or other means that one skilled in the art may employ. Methods for oral introduction may include direct mixing of RNA with food of the insect, as well as engineered approaches in which a species that is used as food is engineered to express the dsRNA or siRNA, then fed to the insect to be affected. In one embodiment, for example, the dsRNA or siRNA molecules may be incorporated into, or overlaid on the top of, the insect's diet. In another embodiment, the RNA may be sprayed onto a plant surface. In still another embodiment, the dsRNA or siRNA may be expressed by microorganisms and the microorganisms may be applied onto a plant surface or introduced into a root, stem by a physical means such as an injection. In still another embodiment, a plant may be genetically engineered to express the dsRNA or siRNA in an amount sufficient to kill the insects known to infect the plant.

Specifically, in practicing the present invention in WCR, the stabilized dsRNA or siRNA may be introduced in the midgut inside the insect and achieve the desired inhibition of the targeted genes. The dsRNA or siRNA molecules may be incorporated into a diet or be overlaid on the diet as discussed above and may be ingested by the insects. In any event, the dsRNA's of the present invention are provided in the diet of the target pest. The target pest of the present invention will exhibit a digestive tract pH from about 4.5 to about 9.5, or from about 5 to about 8.5, or from about 6 to about 8, or from about 6.5 to about 7.7, or about 7.0. The digestive tract of a target pest is defined herein as the location within the pest that food that is ingested by the target pest is exposed to an environment that is favorable for the uptake of the dsRNA molecules of the present invention without suffering a pH so extreme that the hydrogen bonding between the double-strands of the dsRNA are caused to dissociate and form single stranded molecules.

Further, for the purpose of controlling insect infestations in plants, delivery of insect control dsRNAs to the surfaces of a plant via a spray-on application affords another means of protecting the plants. In this instance, a bacterium engineered to produce and accumulate dsRNAs may be fermented and the products of the fermentation formulated as a spray-on product compatible with common agricultural practices. The formulations may include the appropriate stickers and wetters required for efficient foliar coverage as well as UV protectants to protect dsRNAs from UV damage. Such additives are commonly used in the bioinsecticide industry and are well known to those skilled in the art. Likewise, formulations for soil application may include granular formulations that serve as a bait for larvae of soil insect pests such as the corn rootworm.

It is also anticipated that dsRNA's produced by chemical or enzymatic synthesis may be formulated in a manner consistent with common agricultural practices and used as spray-on products for controlling insect infestations. The formulations may include the appropriate stickers and wetters required for efficient foliar coverage as well as UV protectants to protect dsRNAs from UV damage. Such additives are commonly used in the bioinsecticide industry and are well known to those skilled in the art. Such applications could be combined with other spray-on insecticide applications, biologically based or not, to enhance plant protection from insect feeding damage.

The present inventors contemplate that bacterial strains producing insecticidal proteins may be used to produce dsRNAs for insect control purposes. These strains may exhibit improved insect control properties. A variety of different bacterial hosts may be used to produce insect control dsRNAs. Exemplary bacteria may include E. coli, B. tlhuringiensis, Pseudomonas sp., Photorhabdus sp., Xenwrhabdus sp., Serratia entomophila and related Serratia sp., B. sphaericus, B. cereus, B. laterosporus, B. popilliae, Clostridium bifermentans and other Clostridium species, or other spore-forming gram-positive bacteria.

The present invention also relates to recombinant DNA constructs for expression in a microorganism. Exogenous nucleic acids from which an RNA of interest is transcribed can be introduced into a microbial host cell, such as a bacterial cell or a fungal cell, using methods known in the art.

The nucleotide sequences of the present invention may be introduced into a wide variety of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganism hosts to produce the stabilized dsRNA or siRNA molecules. The term “microorganism” includes prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial species such as bacteria and fungi. Fungi include yeasts and filamentous fungi, among others. Illustrative prokaryotes, both Gram-negative and Gram-positive, include Enterobacteriaceae, such as Escherichia, Erwinia, Shigella, Salmonella, and Proteus; Bacillaceae; Rhizobiceae, such as Rhizobium; Spirillaceae, such as photobacterium, Zymomonas, Serratia, Aeromonas, Vibrio, Desulfovibrio, Spirillum; Lactobacillaceae; Pseudomonadaceae, such as Pseudomonas and Acetobacter; Azotobacteraceae, Actinomycetales, and Nitrobacteraceae. Among eukaryotes are fungi, such as Phycomycetes and Ascomycetes, which includes yeast, such as Saccharomyces and Schizosaccharomyces; and Basidiomycetes yeast, such as Rhodotonda, Aureobasidium, Sporobolomyces, and the like.

For the purpose of plant protection against insects, a large number of microorganisms known to inhabit the phylloplane (the surface of the plant leaves) and/or the rhizosphere (the soil surrounding plant roots) of a wide variety of important crops may also be desirable host cells for manipulation, propagation, storage, delivery and/or mutagenesis of the disclosed recombinant constructs. These microorganisms include bacteria, algae, and fungi. Of particular interest are microorganisms, such as bacteria, e.g., genera Bacillus (including the species and subspecies B. thuringiensis kurstaki HD-1, B. thuringiensis kurstaki HD-73, B. thuringiensis sotto, B. thuringiensis berliner, B. thuringiensis thuringiensis, B. thuringiensis tolworthi, B. thuringiensis dendrolimus, B. thuringiensis alesti, B. thuringiensis galleriae, B. thuringiensis aizawai, B. thuringiensis subtoxicus, B. thuringiensis entomocidus, B. thuringiensis tenebrionis and B. thuringiensis san diego); Pseudomonas, Erwinia, Serratia, Klebsiella, Zanthomonas, Streptomyces, Rhizobium, Rhodopseudomonas, Methylophilius, Agrobacterium, Acetobacter, Lactobacillus, Arthrobacter, Azotobacter, Leuconostoc, and Alcaligenes; fungi, particularly yeast, e.g., genera Saccharomyces, Cryptococcus, Kluyveromyces, Sporobolomyces, Rhodotorula, and Aureobasidium. Of particular interest are such phytosphere bacterial species as Pseudomonas syringae, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Serratia marcescens, Acetobacter xylinum, Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Rhodobacter sphaeroides, Xanthomonas campestris, Rhizobium melioti, Alcaligenes eutrophus, and Azotobacter vinlandii; and phytosphere yeast species such as Rhodotorula rubra, R. glutinis, R. marina, R. aurantiaca, Cryptococcus albidus, C. diffluens, C. laurentii, Saccharomyces rosei, S. pretoriensis, S. cerevisiae, Sporobolomyces roseus, S. odorus, Kluyveromyces veronae, and Aureobasidium pollulans.

A bacterial recombinant DNA vector may be a linear or a closed circular plasmid. The vector system may be a single vector or plasmid or two or more vectors or plasmids that together contain the total DNA to be introduced into the genome of the bacterial host. In addition, the bacterial vector may be an expression vector. Nucleic acid molecules as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or in SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing or fragments thereof can, for example, be suitably inserted into a vector under the control of a suitable promoter that functions in one or more microbial hosts to drive expression of a linked coding sequence or other DNA sequence. Many vectors are available for this purpose, and selection of the appropriate vector will depend mainly on the size of the nucleic acid to be inserted into the vector and the particular host cell to be transformed with the vector. Each vector contains various components depending on its function (amplification of DNA or expression of DNA) and the particular host cell with which it is compatible. The vector components for bacterial transformation generally include, but are not limited to, one or more of the following: a signal sequence, an origin of replication, one or more selectable marker genes, and an inducible promoter allowing the expression of exogenous DNA.

Expression and cloning vectors generally contain a selection gene, also referred to as a selectable marker. This gene encodes a protein necessary for the survival or growth of transformed host cells grown in a selective culture medium. Typical selection genes encode proteins that (a) confer resistance to antibiotics or other toxins, e.g., ampicillin, neomycin, methotrexate, or tetracycline, (b) complement auxotrophic deficiencies, or (c) supply critical nutrients not available from complex media, e.g., the gene encoding D-alanine racemase for Bacilli. Those cells that are successfully transformed with a heterologous protein or fragment thereof produce a protein conferring drug resistance and thus survive the selection regimen.

An expression vector for producing a mRNA can also contains an inducible promoter that is recognized by the host bacterial organism and is operably linked to the nucleic acid encoding, for example, the nucleic acid molecule coding the D. v. virgifera mRNA or fragment thereof of interest. Inducible promoters suitable for use with bacterial hosts include β-lactamase promoter, E. coli λ phage P_(L) and P_(R) promoters, and E. coli galactose promoter, arabinose promoter, alkaline phosphatase promoter, tryptophan (trp) promoter, and the lactose operon promoter and variations thereof and hybrid promoters such as the tac promoter. However, other known bacterial inducible promoters are suitable.

The term “operably linked”, as used in reference to a regulatory sequence and a structural nucleotide sequence, means that the regulatory sequence causes regulated expression of the linked structural nucleotide sequence. “Regulatory sequences” or “control elements” refer to nucleotide sequences located upstream (5′ noncoding sequences), within, or downstream (3′ non-translated sequences) of a structural nucleotide sequence, and which influence the timing and level or amount of transcription, RNA processing or stability, or translation of the associated structural nucleotide sequence. Regulatory sequences may include promoters, translation leader sequences, introns, enhancers, stem-loop structures, repressor binding sequences, and polyadenylation recognition sequences and the like.

Alternatively, the expression constructs can be integrated into the bacterial genome with an integrating vector. Integrating vectors typically contain at least one sequence homologous to the bacterial chromosome that allows the vector to integrate. Integrations appear to result from recombinations between homologous DNA in the vector and the bacterial chromosome. For example, integrating vectors constructed with DNA from various Bacillus strains integrate into the Bacillus chromosome (EP 0 127,328). Integrating vectors may also be comprised of bacteriophage or transposon sequences. Suicide vectors are also known in the art.

Construction of suitable vectors containing one or more of the above-listed components employs standard recombinant DNA techniques. Isolated plasmids or DNA fragments are cleaved, tailored, and re-ligated in the form desired to generate the plasmids required. Examples of available bacterial expression vectors include, but are not limited to; the multifunctional E. coli cloning and expression vectors such as Bluescript™ (Stratagene, La Jolla, Calif.), in which, for example, a D. v. virgifera protein or fragment thereof, may be ligated into the vector in frame with sequences for the amino-terminal Met and the subsequent 7 residues of β-galactosidase so that a hybrid protein is produced; plN vectors (Van Heeke and Schuster, 1989, J. Biol. Chem. 264:5503-5509); and the like.

A yeast recombinant construct can typically include one or more of the following: a promoter sequence, fusion partner sequence, leader sequence, transcription termination sequence, a selectable marker. These elements can be combined into an expression cassette, which may be maintained in a replicon, such as an extrachromosomal element (e.g., plasmids) capable of stable maintenance in a host, such as yeast or bacteria. The replicon may have two replication systems, thus allowing it to be maintained, for example, in yeast for expression and in a prokaryotic host for cloning and amplification. Examples of such yeast-bacteria shuttle vectors include YEp24 (Botstein et al., 1979, Gene, 8:17-24), pCl/1 (Brake et al., 1984, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci USA, 81:4642-4646), and YRp17 (Stinchcomb et al., 1982, J. Mol. Biol., 158:157). In addition, a replicon may be either a high or low copy number plasmid. A high copy number plasmid will generally have a copy number ranging from about 5 to about 200, and typically about 10 to about 150. A host containing a high copy number plasmid will preferably have at least about 10, and more preferably at least about 20.

Useful yeast promoter sequences can be derived from genes encoding enzymes in the metabolic pathway. Examples of such genes include alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) (EP 0 284044), enolase, glucokinase, glucose-6-phosphate isomerase, glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate-dehydrogenase (GAP or GAPDH), hexokinase, phosphofructokinase, 3-phosphoglycerate mutase, and pyruvate kinase (PyK) (EP 0 3215447). The yeast PHO5 gene, encoding acid phosphatase, also provides useful promoter sequences (Myanohara et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 80:1, 1983). In addition, synthetic promoters that do not occur in nature also function as yeast promoters. Examples of such hybrid promoters include the ADH regulatory sequence linked to the GAP transcription activation region (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,876,197 and 4,880,734). Other examples of hybrid promoters include promoters which consist of the regulatory sequences of the ADH2, GAL4, GAL10, or PHO5 genes, combined with the transcriptional activation region of a glycolytic enzyme gene such as GAP or PyK (EP 0 164556). Furthermore, a yeast promoter can include naturally occurring promoters of non-yeast origin that have the ability to bind yeast RNA polymerase and initiate transcription.

Examples of transcription terminator sequences and other yeast-recognized termination sequences, such as those coding for glycolytic enzymes, are known to those of skill in the art.

Alternatively, the expression constructs can be integrated into the yeast genome with an integrating vector. Integrating vectors typically contain at least one sequence homologous to a yeast chromosome that allows the vector to integrate, and preferably contain two homologous sequences flanking the expression construct. Integrations appear to result from recombinations between homologous DNA in the vector and the yeast chromosome (Orr-Weaver et al., 1983, Methods in Enzymol., 101:228-245). An integrating vector may be directed to a specific locus in yeast by selecting the appropriate homologous sequence for inclusion in the vector. See Orr-Weaver et al., supra. One or more expression constructs may integrate, possibly affecting levels of recombinant protein produced (Rine et al., 1983, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 80:6750). The chromosomal sequences included in the vector can occur either as a single segment in the vector, which results in the integration of the entire vector, or as two segments homologous to adjacent segments in the chromosome and flanking the expression construct in the vector, which results in the stable integration of only the expression construct.

The present invention also contemplates transformation of a nucleotide sequence of the present invention into a plant to achieve pest inhibitory levels of expression of one or more dsRNA molecules. A transformation vector can be readily prepared using methods available in the art. The transformation vector comprises one or more nucleotide sequences that is/are capable of being transcribed to an RNA molecule and that is/are substantially homologous and/or complementary to one or more nucleotide sequences encoded by the genome of the insect, such that upon uptake of the RNA transcribed from the one or more nucleotide sequences molecules by the insect, there is down-regulation of expression of at least one of the respective nucleotide sequences of the genome of the insect.

The transformation vector may further mean a dsDNA construct and may also be regarded inter alia as a recombinant molecule, an insect control agent, a genetic molecule or a chimeric genetic construct. A chimeric genetic construct of the present invention may comprise, for example, nucleotide sequences encoding one or more antisense transcripts, one or more sense transcripts, one or more of each of the afore-mentioned, wherein all or part of a transcript therefrom is homologous to all or part of an RNA molecule comprising an RNA sequence encoded by a nucleotide sequence within the genome of an insect.

In one embodiment the plant transformation vector is an isolated and purified DNA molecule comprising a promoter operatively linked to one or more nucleotide sequences of the present invention. The nucleotide sequence is selected from the group consisting of, SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 and SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing. The nucleotide sequence includes a segment coding all or part of an RNA present within a targeted pest RNA transcript and may comprise inverted repeats of all or a part of a targeted pest RNA. The DNA molecule comprising the expression vector may also contain a functional intron sequence positioned either upstream of the coding sequence or even within the coding sequence, and may also contain a five prime (5′) untranslated leader sequence (i.e., a UTR or 5′-UTR) positioned between the promoter and the point of translation initiation.

A plant transformation vector may contain sequences from more than one gene, thus allowing production of more than one dsRNA for inhibiting expression of two or more genes in cells of a target pest. One skilled in the art will readily appreciate that segments of DNA whose sequence corresponds to that present in different genes can be combined into a single composite DNA segment for expression in a transgenic plant. Alternatively, a plasmid of the present invention already containing at least one DNA segment can be modified by the sequential insertion of additional DNA segments between the enhancer and promoter and terminator sequences. In the insect control agent of the present invention designed for the inhibition of multiple genes, the genes to be inhibited can be obtained from the same insect species in order to enhance the effectiveness of the insect control agent. In certain embodiments, the genes can be derived from different insects in order to broaden the range of insects against which the agent is effective. When multiple genes are targeted for suppression or a combination of expression and suppression, a polycistronic DNA element can be fabricated as illustrated and disclosed in Fillatti, Application Publication No. US 2004-0029283.

Where a nucleotide sequence of the present invention is to be used to transform a plant, a promoter exhibiting the ability to drive expression of the coding sequence in that particular species of plant is selected. Promoters that function in different plant species are also well known in the art. Promoters useful for expression of polypeptides in plants are those that are inducible, viral, synthetic, or constitutive as described in Odell et al. (1985, Nature 313:810-812), and/or promoters that are temporally regulated, spatially regulated, and spatio-temporally regulated. Preferred promoters include the enhanced CaMV35S promoters, and the FMV35S promoter. For the purpose of the present invention, e.g., for optimum control of species that feed on roots, it is preferable to achieve the highest levels of expression of these genes within the roots of plants. A number of root-enhanced promoters have been identified and are known in the art. (Lu et al., 2000, J. Plant Phys., 156(2):277-283; U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,837,848 and 6,489,542). A recombinant DNA vector or construct of the present invention will typically comprise a selectable marker that confers a selectable phenotype on plant cells. Selectable markers may also be used to select for plants or plant cells that contain the exogenous nucleic acids encoding polypeptides or proteins of the present invention. The marker may encode biocide resistance, antibiotic resistance (e.g., kanamycin, G418 bleomycin, hygromycin, etc.), or herbicide resistance (e.g., glyphosate, etc.). Examples of selectable markers include, but are not limited to, a neo gene which codes for kanamycin resistance and can be selected for using kanamycin, G418, etc.; a bar gene which codes for bialaphos resistance; a mutant EPSP synthase gene which encodes glyphosate resistance; a nitrilase gene which confers resistance to bromoxynil; a mutant acetolactate synthase gene (ALS) which confers imidazolinone or sulphonylurea resistance; and a methotrexate resistant DHFR gene.

A recombinant vector or construct of the present invention may also include a screenable marker. Screenable markers may be used to monitor expression. Exemplary screenable markers include a β-glucuronidase or uidA gene (GUS) which encodes an enzyme for which various chromogenic substrates are known (Jefferson, 1987, Plant Mol. Biol, Rep. 5:387-405; Jefferson et al., 1987, EMBO J. 6:3901-3907); an R-locus gene, which encodes a product that regulates the production of anthocyanin pigments (red color) in plant tissues (Dellaporta et al., 1988, Stadler Symposium 11:263-282); a β-lactamase gene (Sutcliffe et al., 1978, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 75:3737-3741), a gene which encodes an enzyme for which various chromogenic substrates are known (e.g., PADAC, a chromogenic cephalosporin); a luciferase gene (Ow et al., 1986, Science 234:856-859) a xylE gene (Zukowsky et al., 1983, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 80:1101-1105) which encodes a catechol dioxygenase that can convert chromogenic catechols; an α-amylase gene (Ikatu et al., 1990, Bio/Technol. 8:241-242); a tyrosinase gene (Katz et al., 1983, J. Gen. Microbiol. 129:2703-2714) which encodes an enzyme capable of oxidizing tyrosine to DOPA and dopaquinone which in turn condenses to melanin; an α-galactosidase, which catalyzes a chromogenic α-galactose substrate.

In general it is preferred to introduce a functional recombinant DNA at a non-specific location in a plant genome. In special cases it may be useful to insert a recombinant DNA construct by site-specific integration. Several site-specific recombination systems exist which are known to function implants include cre-lox as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,317 and FLP-FRT as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,527,695.

In practice DNA is introduced into only a small percentage of target cells in any single transformation experiment. Genes encoding selectable markers are used to provide an efficient system for identification of those cells that are stably transformed by receiving and integrating a transgenic DNA construct into their genomes. Preferred marker genes provide selective markers that confer resistance to a selective agent, such as an antibiotic or herbicide. Any of the herbicides to which plants of this invention may be resistant are useful agents for selective markers. Potentially transformed cells are exposed to the selective agent. In the population of surviving cells will be those cells where, generally, the resistance-conferring gene is integrated and expressed at sufficient levels to permit cell survival. Cells may be tested further to confirm stable integration of the exogenous DNA. Commonly used selective marker genes include those conferring resistance to antibiotics such as kanamycin (nptII), hygromycin B (aph IV) and gentamycin (aac3 and aacC4) or resistance/tolerance to herbicides such as glufosinate (bar or pat), glyphosate (EPSPS), and AMPA (phuO). Examples of such selectable markers are illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,318; 5,633,435; 5,780,708 and 6,118,047. Screenable markers which provide an ability to visually identify transformants can also be employed, e.g., a gene expressing a colored or fluorescent protein such as a luciferase or green fluorescent protein (GFP) or a gene expressing a beta-glucuronidase or uidA gene (GUS) for which various chromogenic substrates are known.

Preferred plant transformation vectors include those derived from a Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens (e.g. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,536,475, 4,693,977, 4,886,937, 5,501,967 and EP 0 122 791). Agrobacterium rhizogenes plasmids (or “Ri”) are also useful and known in the art. Other preferred plant transformation vectors include those disclosed, e.g., by Herrera-Estrella (1983, Nature 303:209-213), Bevan (1983, Nature 304:184-187), Klee (1985, Bio/Technol. 3:637-642) and EP 0 120 516.

Methods and compositions for transforming plants by introducing a recombinant DNA construct into a plant genome includes any of a number of methods known in the art. One method for constructing transformed plants is microprojectile bombardment as illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,015,580, 5,550,318, 5,538,880, 6,153,812, 6,160,208, 6,288,312 and 6,399,861. Another method for constructing transformed plants is Agrobacterium-mediated transformation as illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,159,135, 5,824,877, 5,591,616 and 6,384,301. Alternatively, other non-Agrobacterium species can be used, such as for example Rhizobium and other prokaryotic cells that exhibit the capacity for plant cell infection and introduction of heterologous nucleotide sequences into the genome(s) of the infected plant cell.

The DNA constructs of the present invention may be introduced into the genome of a desired plant host by a variety of conventional transformation techniques, which are well known to those skilled in the art. Suitable plant transformation vectors for the purpose of Agrobacterium mediated transformation include those derived from a Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumefaciens. In addition to Agrobacterium mediated plant transformation vectors, alternative methods can be used to insert the DNA constructs of the present invention into plant cells. Such methods may involve, but are not limited to, for example, the use of liposomes, electroporation, chemicals that increase free DNA uptake, free DNA delivery via microprojectile bombardment, and transformation using viruses or pollen.

Any of the isolated nucleic acid molecules of the present invention may be introduced into a plant cell in a permanent or transient manner in combination with other genetic elements such as promoters, introns, enhancers, and untranslated leader sequences, etc. Any of the nucleic acid molecules encoding a coleopteran species RNA or an RNA from a piercing and sucking insect species, or preferably a D. v. virgifera RNA or a Lygus hesperus RNA, may be fabricated and introduced into a plant cell in a manner that allows for production of the dsRNA molecules within the plant cell, providing an insecticidal amount of one or more particular dsRNA's in the diet of a target insect pest.

The term “transgenic plant cell” or “transgenic plant” refers to a plant cell or a plant that contains an exogenous nucleic acid, which can be derived from WCR, or from a different insect species or any other non-insect species. The transgenic plants are also meant to comprise progeny (decedent, offspring, etc.) of any generation of such a transgenic plant or a seed of any generation of all such transgenic plants wherein said progeny or seed comprises a DNA sequence encoding the RNA, sRNA, dsRNA, siRNA, or fragment thereof of the present invention is also an important aspect of the invention.

A transgenic plant formed using Agrobacterium transformation methods typically contains a single simple recombinant DNA sequence inserted into one chromosome and is referred to as a transgenic event. Such transgenic plants can be referred to as being heterozygous for the inserted exogenous sequence. A transgenic plant homozygous with respect to a transgene can be obtained by sexually mating (selfing) an independent segregant transgenic plant that contains a single exogenous gene sequence to itself, for example an F0 plant, to produce F1 seed. One fourth of the F1 seed produced will be heterozygous with respect to the transgene. Germinating F1 seed results in plants that can be tested for heterozygosity, typically using a SNP assay or a thermal amplification assay that allows for the distinction between heterozygotes and homozygotes (i.e., a zygosity assay). Crossing a heterozygous plant with itself or another heterozygous plant results in only heterozygous progeny.

In addition to direct transformation of a plant with a recombinant DNA construct, transgenic plants can be prepared by crossing a first plant having a recombinant DNA construct with a second plant lacking the construct. For example, recombinant DNA for gene suppression can be introduced into first plant line that is amenable to transformation to produce a transgenic plant that can be crossed with a second plant line to introgress the recombinant DNA for gene suppression into the second plant line.

Transgenic plants, that can be generated by practice of the present invention, include but are not limited to alfalfa, aneth, apple, apricot, artichoke, arugula, asparagus, avocado, banana, barley, beans, beet, blackberry, blueberry, broccoli, brussel sprouts, cabbage, canola, cantaloupe, carrot, cassava, cauliflower, celery, cherry, cilantro, citrus, clementine, coffee, corn, cotton, cucumber, Douglas fir, eggplant, endive, escarole, eucalyptus, fennel, figs, gourd, grape, grapefruit, honey dew, jicama, kiwifruit, lettuce, leeks, lemon, lime, Loblolly pine, mango, melon, mushroom, nut, oat, okra, onion, orange, an ornamental plant, papaya, parsley, pea, peach, peanut, pear, pepper, persimmon, pine, pineapple, plantain, plum, pomegranate, poplar, potato, pumpkin, quince, radiata pine, radicchio, radish, raspberry, rice, rye, sorghum, Southern pine, soybean, spinach, squash, strawberry, sugarbeet, sugarcane, sunflower, sweet potato, sweetgum, tangerine, tea, tobacco, tomato, turf, a vine, watermelon, wheat, yams, and zucchini.

The present invention can be, in practice, combined with other insect control traits in a plant to achieve desired traits for enhanced control of insect infestation. Combining insect control traits that employ distinct modes-of-action can provide insect-protected transgenic plants with superior durability over plants harboring a single insect control trait because of the reduced probability that resistance will develop in the field.

The mechanism of insecticidal activity of B. thuringiensis crystal proteins has been studied extensively in the past decade. It has been shown that the crystal proteins are toxic to the larval form of the insect only after ingestion of the protein. In lepidopteran larvae, an alkaline pH and proteolytic enzymes in the insect mid-gut solubilize the proteins, thereby allowing the release of components that are toxic to the insect. These toxic components disrupt the mid-gut cells, cause the insect to cease feeding, and, eventually, bring about insect death. For this reason, B. thuringiensis toxins have proven themselves to be effective and environmentally safe insecticides in dealing with various insect pests. Coleopteran and hemipteran insects, and likely dipteran, lygus and other piercing and sucking insects exhibit a gut pH that is slightly acidic, and so the Bt toxins that are effective against lepidopteran larvae are ineffective against these pests. The slightly acidic pH of the gut of these insects is also believed to be more hospitable to the compositions of the present invention, and without intending to be limited to a particular theory, it is likely that the alkaline pH of the gut of lepidopteran larvae is the reason that prior attempts to exhibit dsRNA efficacy has failed (Fire et al. U.S. Pat. No. 6,506,559; Mesa et al. Patent Publication No. US2003/0150017; Rajagopal et al., 2002, J. Biol. Chem. 277:46849-46851; Tabara et al., 1998, Science 282:430-431). It is believed therefore that the dsRNA methods disclosed herein should be preferentially used in compositions and in plants to control coleopteran, dipteran, hemipteran, lygus, and piercing and sucking insects. The methods and compositions set forth herein are particularly useful for targeting genes for suppression in insects exhibiting a gut pH of from about 4.5 to about 9.5, or from about 5.0 to about 9.0, or from about 5.5 to about 8.5, or from about 6.0 to about 8.0, or from about 6.5 to about 7.7, or from about 6.8 to about 7.6, or about 7.0. However, insects and other pest species that exhibit a gut pH of from about 7.5 to about 11.5, or from about 8.0 to about 11.0, or from about 9.0 to about 10.0, such as lepidopteran insect larvae, are also intended to be within the scope of the present invention. This is particularly true when a dsRNA specific for inhibiting a gene in a lepidopteran larvae is provided in the diet of the larvae along with one or more Bt proteins, that, with respect to the Bt protein would ordinarily be toxic to that lepidopteran larvae when provided at or above a threshold level. The presence of one or more Bt toxins toxic to the same insect species would effectively reduce the gut pH, providing a stable environment for the double stranded RNA molecules to exert their effects in suppressing a target gene in the insect pest.

It would be useful to combine one or more stabilized dsRNA constructs producing dsRNA molecules of the present invention in the diet of a target insect pest along with one or more insecticidal proteins, such that the dsRNA and the insecticidal protein are toxic to the same insect pest. The insecticidal protein could be derived from B. thuringiensis but also from other organisms known in the art to produce insecticidal proteins such as bacterial symbionts of entomopathogenic nematodes (e.g. Photorhabdus sp., Xenorhabdus sp.), Serratia entomophila and related Serratia sp., B. sphaericus, B. cereus, B. laterosporus, B. popilliae, Clostridium bifermentans, or other spore-forming gram-positive bacteria that exhibit insecticidal properties. Likewise, it is envisioned that two or more different stabilized dsRNA constructs producing dsRNA molecules of the present invention could be provided together within a single plant to ensure durability of the insect control phenotype. These dsRNA molecules could target the same gene for silencing or, alternatively, target different genes for silencing. Two or more different dsRNA's can be combined together in the same plant, each dsRNA being toxic to a different insect pest, neither of the dsRNA's being toxic to the same insect species.

It is anticipated that the combination of certain stabilized dsRNA constructs with one or more insect control protein genes will result in synergies that enhance the insect control phenotype of a transgenic plant. Insect bioassays employing artificial diet- or whole plant tissue can be used to define dose-responses for larval mortality or growth inhibition using both dsRNAs and insect control proteins. One skilled in the art can test mixtures of dsRNA molecules and insect control proteins in bioassay to identify combinations of actives that are synergistic and desirable for deployment in insect-protected plants (Tabashnik, 1992). Synergy in killing insect pests has been reported between different insect control proteins (for review, see Schnepf et al., 1998). It is anticipated that synergies will exist between certain dsRNAs and between certain dsRNAs and certain insect control proteins.

It is also anticipated that combinations of dsRNA's will reveal unexpected toxicity towards certain insect pests. Rajagopol et al (2002, J Biol Chem. 277:46849-46851) reported that feeding dsRNAs to larvae of the lepidopteran pest S. litura was ineffective in silencing a gene encoding a midgut aminopeptidase. It is worth noting that the alkaline pH environment of the typical lepidopteran midgut may be a hostile environment for dsRNAs since the denaturation of RNA duplexes at alkaline pH would be expected to lead to rapid degradation. Pores formed by B. thuringiensis toxin proteins inserted into the midgut epithelial membrane, result in a neutralization of the midgut pH (reviewed in Gill, 1995, Mem. Inst. Osaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, 90:69-74). Accordingly, B. thuringiensis toxin proteins that are only capable of forming transient ion channels in the lepidopteran midgut epithelial membrane without causing mortality may be sufficient to reduce the midgut pH to levels more conducive for the uptake of dsRNAs by midgut epithelial cells. As one example, it is known that the Cry1Ac protein is not an effective toxin against the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua (Chambers et al., 1991, J. Bacteriol. 173:3966-3976). Nevertheless, transient reductions in midgut pH caused by the Cry1Ac protein could serve to stabilize co-ingested dsRNAs and render them effective in silencing S. exigua target genes, thereby providing an unexpected means of controlling this insect pest. This effect could be observed with any protein, insecticidal or not, that disrupts the ion regulation of lepidopteran insect midgut cells, and may also be effective in coleopteran, dipteran, hemipteran, lygus bug and other piercing and sucking insect species, and the like.

Some insecticidal proteins from B. thuringiensis, such as the Cyt proteins, may cause transient openings in the midgut epithelial membrane of sensitive insect larvae due to the formation of structured pores or to the general detergent-like activity of the protein (Butko, 2003, Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 69:2415-2422). Such openings could facilitate the passage of dsRNA molecules into midgut epithelial cells even at protein concentrations that are sub-optimal for causing mortality. It is anticipated that any protein, insecticidal or not, that causes transient openings in the epithelial membranes of insects could facilitate the passage of dsRNA molecules into insect cells and promote gene silencing.

The nucleotide sequences provided as set forth in SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 or in SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174 as set forth in the sequence listing or fragments thereof, or complements thereof, can be “provided” in a variety of mediums to facilitate use. Such a medium can also provide a subset thereof in a form that allows a skilled artisan to examine the sequences.

Commodity products containing one or more of the sequences of the present invention, and produced from a recombinant plant or seed containing one or more of the nucleotide sequences of the present invention are specifically contemplated as embodiments of the present invention. A commodity product containing one or more of the sequences of the present invention is intended to include, but not be limited to, meals, oils, crushed or whole grains or seeds of a plant, or any food product comprising any meal, oil, or crushed or whole grain of a recombinant plant or seed containing one or more of the sequences of the present invention. The detection of one or more of the sequences of the present invention in one or more commodity or commodity products contemplated herein is defacto evidence that the commodity or commodity product is composed of a transgenic plant designed to express one or more of the nucleotides sequences of the present invention for the purpose of controlling insect infestation using dsRNA mediated gene suppression methods.

In one application of this embodiment, a nucleotide sequence of the present invention can be recorded on computer readable media. As used herein, “computer readable media” refers to any tangible medium of expression that can be read and accessed directly by a computer. Such media include, but are not limited to: magnetic storage media, such as floppy discs, hard disc, storage medium, and magnetic tape: optical storage media such as CD-ROM; electrical storage media such as RAM and ROM; optical character recognition formatted computer files, and hybrids of these categories such as magnetic/optical storage media. A skilled artisan can readily appreciate that any of the presently known computer readable mediums can be used to create a manufacture comprising computer readable medium having recorded thereon a nucleotide sequence of the present invention.

As used herein, “recorded” refers to a process for storing information on computer readable medium. A skilled artisan can readily adopt any of the presently known methods for recording information on computer readable medium to generate media comprising the nucleotide sequence information of the present invention. A variety of data storage structures are available to a skilled artisan for creating a computer readable medium having recorded thereon a nucleotide sequence of the present invention. The choice of the data storage structure will generally be based on the means chosen to access the stored information. In addition, a variety of data processor programs and formats can be used to store the nucleotide sequence information of the present invention on computer readable medium. The sequence information can be represented in a word processing text file, formatted in commercially-available software such as WordPerfect and Microsoft Word, or represented in the form of an ASCII text file, stored in a database application, such as DB2, Sybase, Oracle, or the like. The skilled artisan can readily adapt any number of data processor structuring formats (e.g. text file or database) in order to obtain computer readable medium having recorded thereon the nucleotide sequence information of the present invention.

Computer software is publicly available which allows a skilled artisan to access sequence information provided in a computer readable medium. Software that implements the BLAST (Altschul et al., J. Mol. Biol. 215: 403-410 (1990)) and BLAZE (Brutlag, et al., Comp. Chem. 17: 203-207 (1993)) search algorithms on a Sybase system can be used to identify open reading frames (ORFs) within sequences such as the Unigenes and EST's that are provided herein and that contain homology to ORFs or proteins from other organisms. Such ORFs are protein-encoding fragments within the sequences of the present invention and are useful in producing commercially important proteins such as enzymes used in amino acid biosynthesis, metabolism, transcription, translation, RNA processing, nucleic acid and a protein degradation, protein modification, and DNA replication, restriction, modification, recombination, and repair.

The present invention further provides systems, particularly computer-based systems, which contain the sequence information described herein. Such systems are designed to identify commercially important fragments of the nucleic acid molecule of the present invention. As used herein, “a computer-based system” refers to the hardware means, software means, and data storage means used to analyze the nucleotide sequence information of the present invention. The minimum hardware means of the computer-based systems of the present invention comprises a central processing unit (CPU), input means, output means, and data storage means. A skilled artisan can readily appreciate that any one of the currently available computer-based system are suitable for use in the present invention.

The most preferred sequence length of a target sequence is from about 10 to about 100 amino acids or from about 23 to about 300 nucleotide residues.

As used herein, “a target structural motif,” or “target motif,” refers to any rationally selected sequence or combination of sequences in which the sequences or sequence(s) are chosen based on a three-dimensional configuration that is formed upon the folding of the target motif. There are a variety of target motifs known in the art. Protein target motifs include, but are not limited to, enzymatic active sites and signal sequences. Nucleic acid target motifs include, but are not limited to, promoter sequences, cis elements, hairpin structures and inducible expression elements (protein binding sequences).

EXAMPLES

The inventors herein have identified a means for controlling invertebrate pest infestation by providing a double stranded ribonucleic acid molecule in the diet of the pest. Surprisingly, the inventors have discovered that a double stranded ribonucleic acid molecule functions upon ingestion by the pest to inhibit a biological function in the pest, resulting in one or more of the following attributes: reduction in feeding by the pest, reduction in viability of the pest, death of the pest, inhibition of differentiation and development of the pest, absence of or reduced capacity for sexual reproduction by the pest, muscle formation, juvenile hormone formation, juvenile hormone regulation, ion regulation and transport, maintenance of cell membrane potential, amino acid biosynthesis, amino acid degradation, sperm formation, pheromone synthesis, pheromone sensing, antennae formation, wing formation, leg formation, development and differentiation, egg formation, larval maturation, digestive enzyme formation, haemolymph synthesis, haemolymph maintenance, neurotransmission, cell division, energy metabolism, respiration, apoptosis, and any component of a eukaryotic cells' cytoskeletal structure, such as, for example, actins and tubulins. Any one or any combination of these attributes can result in an effective inhibition of pest infestation, and in the case of a plant pest, inhibition of plant infestation. For example, when used as a diet composition containing a pest inhibitory sufficient amount of one or more double stranded ribonucleic acid molecules provided topically to a plant, as a seed treatment, as a soil application around a plant, or when produced by a plant from a recombinant DNA molecule present within the cells of a plant, plant pest infestation is unexpectedly dramatically reduced. The Examples set forth herein below are illustrative of the invention when applied to a single pest. However, the skilled artisan will recognize that the methods, formulae, and ideas presented in the Examples are not intended to be limiting, and are applicable to all invertebrate pest species that can consume food sources that can be formulated to contain a sufficient amount of a pest inhibitory agent consisting at least of one or more double stranded RNA molecules exemplified herein intended to suppress some essential feature about or function within the pest.

Example 1

This example illustrates the identification of nucleotide sequences that, when provided in the form of double stranded RNA molecules in the diet of a corn rootworm, are useful for controlling corn rootworms.

Corn rootworm cDNA libraries (LIB149, LIB 150, LIB3027, LIB3373) were constructed from whole larvae and from dissected midgut sections, and nucleotide sequence information was obtained (see Andersen et al., U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/205,189 filed Jul. 24, 2002, incorporated herein specifically by reference in its entirety). In addition, cDNA libraries were constructed from whole larvae at different developmental stages and at different times within each developmental stage in order to maximize the number of different EST sequences from the Diabrotica species. Libraries LIB5444 and LIB5462 were constructed respectively from mRNA pools obtained from first (1 gram) and third (2.9 grams) instar Western Corn Rootworm larvae. Harvested insects were rapidly frozen by insertion into liquid nitrogen. The insects were ground in a mortar and pestle maintained at or below −20 C by chilling on dry ice and/or with the addition of liquid nitrogen to the mortar until the tissue was ground into a fine powder. RNA was extracted using TRIzol® reagent (Invitrogen) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Poly A+ RNA was isolated from the total RNA prep using Dynabeads Oligo dT (Dynal Inc., NY) following the manufacturer's instructions. A cDNA library was constructed from the Poly A+ RNA using the SuperScript™ Plasmid System (Invitrogen). cDNA was size fractionated using chromatography. The fourth and fifth fractions were collected and ligated into the pSPORT1 vector (Life Technologies Inc., Gaithersburg Md.) between the Sal1 and Not1 restriction endonucleases recognition sites, and transformed into E. coli DH10B electro-competent cells by electroporation. The first instar larvae library yielded about 420,000 colony-forming units. The third instar larvae library yielded about 2.78×10⁶ colony forming units. Colonies from LIB149, LIB150 were washed from the plates, mixed to uniformity by vortexing briefly, and pooled into Tris-EDTA buffer. Half of the wash was brought to 10% glycerol, aliquoted into cryovials, and stored at −70 C. The other half was used to produce plasmid DNA using a Quiagen midi-prep purification column, or its equivalent. Purified plasmid DNA was aliquoted to microcentrifuge tubes and stored at −20 C.

Colonies from the Diabrotica virgifera cDNA libraries LIB5444 and LIB5462 were amplified individually in a high viscosity medium. Approximately 200,000 colony-forming units from LIB5444 and 600,000 colony-forming units from LIB5462 were mixed on a stir plate separately in 500 ml LB medium containing 0.3% SeaPrep Agarose® and 50 mg/l carbenecillin at 37° C. and then rapidly cooled in a water/ice bath for 1 hour allowing uniform suspension of the bacterial colonies. The inoculated libraries were then grown at 30° C. for 42 hours. After incubation, the cells were mixed for 5 minutes on a stir plate. The medium was then transferred to two 250 ml centrifuge bottles. The bacterial cells were pelleted at 10,000×g for 10 minutes. The medium was removed from the bottles and the cells were resuspended in a total of 20 ml of LB medium with 50 mg/l carbenecillin. Dimethyl sulfoxide was added to 10% to preserve the cells in freezing. Both libraries were amplified to a final titer of 10⁸ colony-forming units per milliliter. Samples of the Diabrotica virgifera cDNA libraries LIB5444 and LIB5462 were combined and adjusted to a DNA concentration of about 1.25 micrograms per microliter in sterile distilled and deionized water and aliquoted into twenty five cryovials, each cryovial containing about 8.75 micrograms of DNA. These samples were deposited by the applicant(s)/inventors with the American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) located at 10801 University Boulevard, Manassas, Va., USA ZIP 20110-2209 on Jun. 10, 2004 and referred to as LIB5444/62. The ATCC provided the Applicant with a deposit receipt, assigning the ATCC Deposit Accession No. PTA-6072.

Corn rootworm high molecular weight cDNA libraries, i.e., LIB5496 and LIB5498, were prepared essentially as described above for the production of corn rootworm cDNA libraries. Libraries L1B5496 and LIB5498 were constructed respectively from mRNA pools obtained from first (1 gram) and second and third (1 gram) instar Western Corn Rootworm larvae. Briefly, insects were quickly frozen in liquid nitrogen. The frozen insects were reduced to a fine powder by grinding in a mortar and pestle. RNA was extracted using TRIzol® reagent (Invitrogen) following the manufacturer's instructions. Poly A+ RNA was isolated from the total RNA prep using Dynabeads Oligo dT (Dynal Inc., NY). A high molecular weight cDNA library was made from 20 micrograms of Poly A+ RNA using the SuperScript™ Plasmid System (Invitrogen). The cDNA was size fractionated on a 1% agarose gel in TAE, and cDNA between the range of 1 Kb to 10 Kb was collected and ligated into the pSPORT1 vector in between the Sal1 and Not1 restriction sites and transformed into E. coli DH10B electro-competent cells by electroporation. LIB5496 yielded a total titer of about 3.5×10⁶ colony forming units. LIB5498 yielded a total titer of about 1.0×10⁶ colony forming units. Colonies from the corn rootworm high molecular weight cDNA libraries LIB5496 and L1B5498 were amplified individually in a high viscosity medium. Approximately 600,000 colony-forming units from LIB5496 and LIB5498 were mixed on a stir plate separately in 500 ml LB medium containing 0.3% SeaPrep Agarose® and 50 mg/l carbenecillin at 37° C. and then rapidly cooled in a water/ice bath for 1 hour allowing uniform suspension of the bacterial colonies. The libraries were then grown at 30° C. for 42 hours. After incubation, the cells were mixed for 5 minutes on a stir plate. The medium was then transferred to two 250 mL centrifuge bottles. The bacterial cells were pelleted at 10,000 xg for 10 minutes. The medium was removed from the bottles and the cells were resuspended in a total of 20 mL of LB medium with 50 mg/L carbenecillin. Dimethyl sulfoxide was added to 10% to preserve the cells in freezing. Both libraries were amplified to a final titer of 108 colony-forming units per milliliter. Inserted cDNA sequence information was obtained from the corn rotworm species-specific plasmid libraries.

The Andersen et al. rootworm libraries together with additional sequences from the libraries LIB5444 and LIB5462 initially produced about 18,415 individual EST sequences consisting of approximately 1.0×10⁷ nucleotide residues. The average length of an EST sequence was about 586 nucleotide residues. These EST sequences were subjected to bioinformatics algorithms that resulted in the assembly of contig sequences referred to herein as UNIGENE sequences, and individual EST sequences that could not be compiled by overlap identity with other EST sequences, referred to herein as singletons. The LIB5444 and LIB5462 libraries were then sequenced much deeper, resulting in additional individual EST sequences. EST sequences obtained from libraries, i.e., LIB149, LIB150, LIB3027, LIB3373, LIB5444, LIB5462, LIB5496 and L1B5503, are set forth in the sequence listing from, SEQ ID NO:1 through SEQ ID NO:143 and SEQ ID NO:169 through SEQ ID NO:174.

EST sequences isolated from CRW cDNA libraries were assembled, where possible, into UNIGENE sets and these assembled Unigene sequences are listed in the sequence listing as set forth in. A UNIGENE is a gene-oriented cluster formed from the overlap of individual EST sequences within regions of sequence identity to form a larger sequence. Pontius et al., Nucl Acids Res 31:28-33 (2003). Each nucleotide sequence as set forth in the sequence listing was analyzed to identify the presence of open reading frames. Amino acid sequence information deduced from open reading frames was compared to known amino acid sequence information available in public databases in order to deduce the extent of amino acid sequence identity or similarity to those known amino acid sequences. Biological function, if any, associated with known amino acid sequences in public databases was annotated to the amino acid sequences deduced from the cDNA library nucleotide sequence information. Annotations provided information that was suggestive of the function of a protein that may be expressed from a particular gene that gave rise to a particular cDNA sequence, but was not outcome determinative. Based on the suggestive annotation information, certain cDNA sequences were characterized as those that encoded a protein that was likely involved in some biological function within corn rootworm cells that was either essential to life, or that was necessary for ensuring health and vitality to a cell, or were likely to be involved in cellular integrity, cell maintenance, reproductive capacity, and the like.

Several cDNA sequences were selected from this subset of cDNA sequences likely encoding proteins, the inhibition of which was likely to cause morbidity or mortality to CRW or to other invertebrate species cells. These sequences were then used in the construction of double stranded RNA molecules for incorporation into CRW diet.

Thermal amplification primer pairs were designed based on the cDNA sequences reported in the CRW cDNA library. Primer pairs were constructed either as a pair of nucleotide sequences, each member of a primer pair exhibiting perfect complementarity either to a sense or to an antisense sequence. Some primer pair sequences were constructed so that each member of the pair exhibited a sequence containing a T7 phage RNA polymerase promoter at it's 5′ end as set forth, for example, in SEQ ID NO:5 from nucleotide position 1 through nucleotide position 23. Preferably a higher fidelity first amplification reaction was carried out using a first primer pair lacking a T7 promoter to generate a first amplicon using CRW genomic DNA as template. Preferably a cDNA or a mRNA sequence is used as the template for the synthesis of a dsRNA molecule for use in the present invention because eukaryotic genome sequences are recognized in the art to contain sequences that are not present within the mature RNA molecule. A sample of the first amplicon generated from the higher fidelity first amplification reaction was then used as template in a second thermal amplification reaction with a second primer pair containing the T7 promoter sequence to produce a second amplicon that contained a 77 promoter at or embedded within the 5′ end of each strand of the second amplicon. The complete nucleotide sequence of the second amplicon was obtained in both directions and compared to the nucleotide sequence as reported for the cDNA, and discrepancies between the two sequences, if any, were noted. Generally, sequences prepared using genome DNA as template were inconsistent with further use as dsRNA molecules for use in achieving significant levels of suppression because of variations within the genome sequences that were not present within the mRNA or cDNA sequence.

An in vitro transcription reaction typically contained from about 1 to about 2 micrograms of linearized DNA template, T7 polymerase reaction buffer from a 10× concentrate, ribonucleotides ATP, CTP, GTP, and UTP at a final concentration of from between 50 and 100 mM each, and 1 unit of T7 RNA polymerase enzyme. The RNA polymerase reaction was incubated at about 37 C, depending on the optimal temperature of the RNA polymerase used according to the manufacturers' instructions, for a period of time ranging from several minutes to several hours. Generally, reactions were carried out for from about 2 to about 6 hours for transcription of template sequences up to about 400 nucleotides in length, and for up to 20 hours for transcription of template sequences greater than about 400 nucleotides in length. Heating the reaction to 65 C for fifteen minutes terminates RNA transcription. RNA transcription products were precipitated in ethanol, washed, air dried and resuspended in RNAse free water to a concentration of about 1 microgram per microliter. Most transcripts which took advantage of the opposing T7 promoter strategy outlined above produced double stranded RNA in the in vitro transcription reaction, however, a higher yield of double stranded RNA was obtained by heating the purified RNA to 65 C and then slowly cooling to room temperature to ensure proper annealing of sense and antisense RNA segments. Double stranded RNA products were then incubated with DNAse I and RNAse at 37 C for one hour to remove any DNA or single stranded RNA present in the mixture. Double stranded RNA products were purified over a column according to the manufacturers' instructions (AMBION MEGASCRIPT RNAi KIT) and resuspended in 10 mM Tris-HCl buffer (pH 7.5) or RNAse free water to a concentration of between 0.1 and 1.0 microgram per microliter.

A sample of double stranded RNA was either added directly to each well containing insect diet as indicated above, or was modified prior to being added to insect diet. Modification of double stranded RNA followed the instructions for RNAse III (AMBION CORPORATION, Austin, Tex.) or DICER (STRATAGENE, La Jolla, Calif.) provided by the manufacturer. RNAse III digestion of double stranded RNA produced twenty-one and twenty-two nucleotide duplexes containing 5′ phosphorylated ends and 3′ hydroxyl ends with 2-3 base overhangs, similar to the ˜21-26 base pair duplexed short interfering RNA (siRNA) fragments produced by the dicer enzyme in the eukaryotic pathway identified by Hamilton et. al. (Science, 1999, 286:950-952) and Elbashir et. al. (Genes & Development, 2001, 15:188-200). This collection of short interfering RNA duplexes was further purified and a sample characterized by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis to determine the integrity and efficiency of duplex formation. The purity and quantity of the sample was then determined by spectrophotometry at a wavelength of 250 nanometers, and unused sample retained for further use by storage at −20 C.

Samples of siRNA or full length double stranded RNA (dsRNA) were subjected to bioassay with a selected number of target pests. Varying does of dsRNA or siRNA were applied as an overlay to corn rootworm artificial diet according to the following procedure. Diabrotica virgifera virgifera (WCR) eggs were obtained from Crop Characteristics, Inc., Farmington, Minn. The non-diapausing WCR eggs were incubated in soil for about 13 days at 24 C, 60% relative humidity, in complete darkness. On day 13 the soil containing WCR eggs was placed between #30 and #60 mesh sieves and the eggs were washed out of the soil using a high pressure garden hose. The eggs were surface disinfested by soaking in LYSOL for three minutes, rinsed three times with sterile water, washed one time with a 10% formalin solution and then rinsed three additional times in sterile water. Eggs treated in this way were dispensed onto sterile coffee filters and hatched overnight at 27 C, 60% relative humidity, in complete darkness.

Insect diet was prepared essentially according to Pleau et al. (Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 2002, 105:1-11), with the following modifications. 9.4 grams of SERVA agar was dispensed into 540 milliliters of purified water and agitated until the agar was thoroughly distributed. The water/agar mixture was heated to boiling to completely dissolve the agar, and then poured into a WARING blender. The blender was maintained at low speed while 62.7 grams of BIO-SERV DIET mix (F9757), 3.75 grams lyophilized corn root, 1.25 milliliters of green food coloring, and 0.6 milliliters of formalin was added to the hot agar mixture. The mixture was then adjusted to pH 9.0 with the addition of a 10% potassium hydroxide stock solution. The approximately 600 milliliter volume of liquid diet was continually mixed at high speed and maintained at from about 48 C to about 60 C using a sterilized NALGENE coated magnetic stir bar on a magnetic stirring hot plate while being dispensed in aliquots of 200 microliters into each well of FALCON 96-well round bottom microtiter plates. The diet in the plates was allowed to solidify and air dry in a sterile biohood for about ten minutes.

Thirty (30) microliter volumes of test samples containing either control reagents or double stranded RNA in varying quantities was overlayed onto the surface of the insect diet in each well using a micro-pipettor repeater. Insect diet was allowed to stand in a sterile biohood for up to one half hour after application of test samples to allow the reagents to diffuse into the diet and to allow the surface of the diet to dry. One WCR neonate larva was deposited to each well with a fine paintbrush. Plates were then sealed with MYLAR and ventilated using an insect pin. 12-72 insect larvae were tested per dose depending on the design of the assay. The bioassay plates were incubated at 27 C, 60% relative humidity in complete darkness for 12-14 days. The number of surviving larvae per dose was recorded at the 12-14 day time point. Larval mass was determined using a suitable microbalance for each surviving larva. Data was analyzed using JMP®4 statistical software (SAS Institute, 1995) and a full factorial ANOVA was conducted with a Dunnet's tet to look for treatment effects compared to the untreated control (P<0.05). A Tukey-Kramer post hoc test was performed to compare all pairs of the treatments (P<0.05).

The following nucleotide sequences were derived first as cDNA sequences identified in a corn rootworm mid-gut cDNA library (Andersen et al., ibid), and were adapted for use in constructing double stranded RNA molecules for use in testing the efficacy of inhibiting a biological function in a pest by feeding double stranded RNA molecules in the diet of the pest.

A Chd3 Homologous Sequence

CHD genes have been identified in numerous eukaryotes, and the corresponding proteins are proposed to function as chromatin-remodeling factors. The term CHD is derived from the three domains of sequence homology found in CHD proteins: a chromo (chromatin organization modifier) domain, a SNF2-related helicase/ATPase domain, and a DNA-binding domain, each of which is believed to confer a distinct chromatin-related activity. CHD proteins are separated into two categories based on the presence or absence of another domain of sequence homology, a PHD zinc finger domain, typically associated with chromatin related activity. CHD3 related proteins possess a PHD zinc finger domain, but CHD1 related proteins do not. Experimental observations have suggested a role for CHD3 proteins in repression of transcription, and in some species have been shown to be a component of a complex that contains histone deacetylase as a subunit. Deacetylation of histones is correlated with transcriptional inactivation, and so CHD3 proteins have been implicated to function as repressors of transcription by virtue of being a component of a histone deacetylase complex (Ogas et al., 1999, PNAS 96:13839-13844). Thus, suppression of CHD3 protein synthesis may be a useful target for double stranded RNA mediated inhibition of invertebrate pests.

SEQ ID NO:4 corresponds to a CRW midgut cDNA nucleotide sequence, the amino acid sequence translation of which was annotated to be homologous to a Drosophila melanogaster CHD3 amino acid sequence (GenBank accession No. AF007780). SEQ ID NO:5 and SEQ ID NO:40609 correspond respectively to forward and reverse genome amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair) for use in producing an amplicon from CRW genomic DNA, from CRW mRNA pools, or from a cDNA produced from such pools. The sequence of such an amplicon corresponds to a part of a CRW gene encoding a homolog of a D. melanogaster CHD3 amino acid sequence. SEQ ID NO:5 contains a T7 polymerase promoter sequence at its 5′ end (nucleotides 1-23) linked to a CRW genome primer sequence (arbitrarily assigned as the forward primer sequence) depicted as set forth at SEQ ID NO:5 from nucleotide position 24-45, which corresponds to nucleotide position 31 through nucleotide position 52 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4. SEQ ID NO:6 contains a T7 polymerase promoter sequence at its 5′end as set forth from nucleotide position 1-23. The T7 promoter sequence is linked at its 3′ end to an arbitrarily assigned reverse genome primer sequence corresponding to nucleotide position 24-44 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:6, the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4 from nucleotide position 298-319. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:5 and SEQ ID NO:6 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA as a template, a 335 base pair amplicon comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:7 is produced, corresponding to a part of the CRW genome that encodes a protein exhibiting about 66% identity to a Drosophila melanogaster CHD3 amino acid sequence. Nucleotides at position 1-23 and the reverse complement of nucleotides at position 314-335 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:7 correspond to the T7 promoter sequences at either end of the amplicon. The amplified genomic nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:7 from nucleotide 24 through nucleotide 313 corresponds substantially to the reported cDNA nucleotide sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:4 from nucleotide 31 through nucleotide 319, except that nucleotides at positions 63, 87, 117, 177, 198, 213, 219-220, 246, 249, and 261 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:4 were reported to be T, T, G, G, G, T, T, T, C, C, and A respectively while the corresponding positions in alignment with SEQ ID NO:7 contained C, C, A, A, A, C, A, C, G A, and G at nucleotide positions 56, 80, 110, 170, 191, 206, 212-213, 239, 242, and 254. This difference corresponds to about a 4% difference in the nucleotide sequence composition between the previously reported cDNA sequence and the sequence of the amplicon produced from genome DNA template, consistent with the earlier report that the cDNA sequence was likely less than 99% accurate (Andersen et al., ibid.).

An amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:7 was cloned into a plasmid vector capable of replication in E. coli and sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA was recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned fragment. Double stranded RNA was produced and subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:7 from about nucleotide position 24 at least through about nucleotide position 313 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:7, the other RNA segment being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:7 from about nucleotide position 313 at least through about nucleotide position 24, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) was treated with DICER or with RNAse M to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA were overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae were allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to all or a part of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:4 exhibited significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

Other nucleotide sequences derived from CRW were also tested in bioassay in parallel with the CHD3 sequences including nucleotide sequences annotated to likely encode CRW equivalents of proteins such as beta-tubulin protein, 40 kDa V-ATPase subunit protein, elongation factor proteins EF1α and EF1α 48D, 26S proteosome subunit p28 protein, juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase protein, swelling dependent chloride channel protein, glucose-6-phosphate 1-dehydrogenase protein, actin 42A protein, ADP-ribosylation factor 1 protein, transcription factor IIB, chitinase proteins, and a ubiquitin conjugating enzyme.

A Beta-Tubulin Homologous Sequence

Tubulin proteins are important structural components of many cellular structures in all eukaryote cells and principally in the formation of microtubules. Inhibition of microtubule formation in cells results in catastrophic effects including interference with the formation of mitotic spindles, blockage of cell division, and the like. Therefore, suppression of tubulin protein formation may be a useful target for double stranded RNA mediated inhibition.

A beta-tubulin related sequence derived from CRW was identified for use in the present invention. SEQ ID NO:18 corresponds to a CRW midgut cDNA nucleotide sequence, the amino acid sequence translation of which was annotated to be homologous in part to a Manduca sexta beta-1-tubulin amino acid sequence and in part to a Drosophila melanogaster beta-1-tubulin amino acid sequence (GenBank accession No.'s AF030547 and M20419 respectively). SEQ ID NO:19 and SEQ ID NO:20 correspond respectively to forward and reverse genome amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair) for use in producing an amplicon from CRW genomic DNA, from CRW mRNA pools, or from a cDNA produced from such pools. The sequence of such an amplicon corresponds to all or a part of a CRW gene encoding a beta-tubulin protein. SEQ ID NO:19 and SEQ ID NO:20 each contain a 23 nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-23 respectively. Nucleotides 24-44 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:19 correspond to nucleotides 96-116 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:18. Nucleotides 24-44 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:20 correspond to the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:18 from nucleotides 428-448. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:19 and SEQ ID NO:20 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA as a template, a 399 base pair amplicon comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:21 is produced, corresponding substantially to a part of the CRW genome encoding a protein exhibiting substantial identity to a beta-tubulin protein homolog present in Drosophila melanogaster and Manduca sexta. The nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:21 corresponds substantially to the nucleotide sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:18 from nucleotides 96-) 448. No sequence differences were observed between the genome amplicon sequence and the corresponding sequence within the cDNA sequence.

An amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:21 was cloned into a plasmid vector, and sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA was recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned amplicon. Double stranded RNA was produced and a sample was subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment, the sense strand, consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:21 from about nucleotide position 24 at least through about nucleotide position 376 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:21, the reverse complement RNA segment, or the anti-sense strand, being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:21 from about nucleotide position 376 at least through about nucleotide position 24, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) was treated with DICER or with RNAse M to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA were overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae were allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to all or a part of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:18 exhibited significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

A 40 kDa V-ATPase Homologous Sequence

Energy metabolism within subcellular organelles in eukaryotic systems is an essential function. Vacuolar ATP synthases are involved in maintaining sufficient levels of ATP within vacuoles. Therefore, vacuolar ATP synthases may be a useful target for double stranded RNA mediated inhibition.

A nucleotide sequence encoding a protein that displayed similarity to a 40 kDa V-ATPase was derived from CRW. An amino acid sequence translation of SEQ ID NO:32 exhibited homology to a Manduca sexta 40-kDa V-ATPase subunit amino acid sequence (GenBank accession No. X98825). SEQ ID NO:33 and SEQ ID NO:34 correspond respectively to forward and reverse genome amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair) for use in producing an amplicon from CRW genomic DNA, CRW mRNA pools, or a CRW cDNA derived from such pools. The sequence of such an amplicon should correspond to all or a part of a CRW gene encoding a 40 kDa V-ATPase homologous protein. However, the nucleotide sequence of an amplicon derived using CRW genomic DNA as template was inconsistent with the reported cDNA sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:32.

SEQ ID NO:33 and SEQ ID NO:34 represent thermal amplification primers. Each primer contains a 23 nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-23 respectively. Nucleotides 24-40 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:33 correspond to nucleotides 95-111 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:32. Nucleotides 24-43 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:34 correspond to the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:32 from nucleotides 362-381. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:33 and SEQ ID NO:34 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA template, a 291 base pair amplicon comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:35 is produced. SEQ ID NO:35 from nucleotide 24 through nucleotide 268 exhibited only about 50% homology to the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:32 based on a Martinez/Needleman-Wunsch DNA alignment. The amplicon sequence derived using the selected thermal amplification primer pair was inconsistent with the reported sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:32. Preferably, an amplicon is produced using a CRW mRNA pool or a cDNA derived from such pool.

An amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:32 from about nucleotide position 95 through about nucleotide position 381 was produced and cloned into a plasmid vector, and sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA were recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned amplicon. Double stranded RNA was produced and a sample subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment, the sense strand, consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:32 from about nucleotide position 95 at least through about nucleotide position 381 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:32, and the reverse complement RNA segment, or the anti-sense strand, being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:32 from about nucleotide position 381 at least through about nucleotide position 95, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) was treated with DICER or with RNAse III to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA were overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae were allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to all or a part of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:32 exhibited significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

A EF1α Homologous Sequence

Transcription elongation and transcription termination factors are essential to metabolism and may be advantageous targets for double stranded RNA mediated inhibition.

At least two CRW cDNA sequences were identified for use in the present invention that were predicted to encode elongation factor 1 alpha (EF1α) homologs.

The amino acid sequence translation of a singleton CRW cDNA sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:36 exhibited homology to a Drosophila melanogaster EF-1-alpha amino acid sequence (GenBank Accession No. X06870). Other sequences predicted to encode EF1α homologous proteins were also identified from within the CRW cDNA midgut library. These sequences were aligned to produce a UNIGENE sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:40 which was predicted to encode an EF1α protein homolog referred to herein as 48D. Several of the sequences comprised within this singleton were predicted to encode amino acid sequences exhibiting homology to various EF1α homologous protein sequences including but not limited to a Bombyx mori EF1α (GenBank Accession No. D13338), a Alternia species EF1α (GenBank Accession No. X03704), a Spragueia leo EF1α (GenBank Accession No. U85680), a Apis mellifera EF1α (GenBank Accession No. AF015267), a Anisakis simplex EF1α (GenBank Accession No. AJ250539), a Papaipema species EF1α (GenBank Accession No. AF151628), a Ephedrus persicae EF1α (GenBank Accession No. Z83663), a Papilio garamas EF1α (GenBank Accession No. AF044833), a Alysia lucicola EF1α (GenBank Accession No. Z83667), a Bracon species EF1α (GenBank Accession No. Z83669), a Histeromerus mystacinus EF1α (GenBank Accession No. Z83666), and a Caenorhabditis elegans EF1α (GenBank Accession No. U41534).

One CRW cDNA sequence predicted to encode a part of an EF1α homolog is referred to herein as the B2 sequence and is set forth at SEQ ID NO:36. SEQ ID NO:37 and SEQ ID NO:38 correspond respectively to forward and reverse genome amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair, with reference to corresponding or reverse complement sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NO:36) for use in producing an amplicon from CRW genomic DNA, CRW mRNA pools, or from a cDNA derived from such mRNA pools. The sequence of such an amplicon should correspond to all or a part of a CRW gene encoding an EF1α homologous protein. However, the nucleotide sequence of an amplicon derived when CRW genomic DNA was used as template was inconsistent with the reported cDNA sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:36.

SEQ ID NO:37 and SEQ ID NO:38 represent sequences for thermal amplification primers. Each primer contains a 23 nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-23 respectively. Nucleotides 24-44 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:37 correspond to nucleotides 8-29 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:36. Nucleotides 24-42 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:38 correspond to the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:36 from nucleotides 310-328. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:37 and SEQ ID NO:38 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA as a template, a 933 base pair amplicon comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:39 was produced. The nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:39 was inconsistent with the nucleotide sequence from nucleotide position 8 through nucleotide position 328 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:36. Preferably an amplicon is produced using a CRW mRNA pool or a cDNA derived from such pool, such as for example, SEQ ID NO:36.

An amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:36 from about nucleotide position 8 through about nucleotide position 328 was produced using CRW mRNA pools or cDNA prepared from such pools, and cloned into a plasmid vector. Sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA were recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned amplicon. Double stranded RNA was produced and a sample subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment, the sense strand, consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:36 from about nucleotide position 8 at least through about nucleotide position 328 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:36, and the reverse complement RNA segment, or the anti-sense strand, being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:36 from about nucleotide position 328 at least through about nucleotide position 8, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) was treated with DICER or with RNAse II to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA were overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae were allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to all or a part of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:36 exhibited significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

The sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:40 was used to design a primer pair for use in amplifying a CRW genomic DNA sequence encoding a EF1α 48D homologous protein sequence. SEQ ID NO:41 and SEQ ID NO:42 correspond respectively to forward and reverse genome amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair). SEQ ID NO:41 and SEQ ID NO:42 each contain a 23 nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-23 respectively. Nucleotides 24-41 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:41 correspond to nucleotides 61-79 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:40. Nucleotides 24-45 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:42 correspond to the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:40 from nucleotides 562-583. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:41 and SEQ ID NO:42 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA as a template, a 569 base pair amplicon comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:43 is produced, corresponding substantially to a part of the CRW genome encoding a protein exhibiting substantial identity to a EF1α protein also present in Drosophila melanogaster. The nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:43 from about nucleotide 24 through about nucleotide 546 corresponds substantially to the nucleotide sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:40 from about nucleotides 61-583. No sequence differences were observed between the genome amplicon sequence and the corresponding sequence within the cDNA sequence.

The amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:43 was cloned into a plasmid vector, and sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA was recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned amplicon. Double stranded RNA was produced and a sample was subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment, the sense strand, consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:43 from about nucleotide position 24 at least through about nucleotide position 546 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:43, and the reverse complement RNA segment, or the anti-sense strand, being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:43 from about nucleotide position 546 at least through about nucleotide position 24, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) was treated with DICER or with RNAse III to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA were overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae were allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to all or a part of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:43 exhibited significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

A 26S Proteosome Subunit p28 Homologous Sequence

The 26S proteasome is a large, ATP-dependent, multi-subunit protease that is highly conserved in all eukaryotes. It has a general function in the selective removal of various short-lived proteins that are first covalently linked to ubiquitin and then subsequently degraded by the 26S proteasome complex. The ubiquitin pathway plays an important role in the control of the cell cycle by the specific degradation of a number of regulatory proteins including mitotic cyclins and inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases such as p27 of mammalian cells. Thus, the suppression of 26S proteasome synthesis and suppression of synthesis of its component subunits may be preferred targets for double stranded RNA mediated inhibition. (Smith et al., Plant Phys. 1997, 113:281-291).

A cDNA sequence derived from a CRW mid-gut library was identified as being partially homologous to a 26S proteosome subunit amino acid sequence and was used in the present invention. SEQ ID NO:44 corresponds substantially to a CRW midgut cDNA nucleotide sequence. An amino acid sequence translation of SEQ ID NO:44 exhibited homology to a 26S proteasome subunit p28 protein (GenBank Accession No. AB009619). SEQ ID NO:45 and SEQ ID NO:46 correspond respectively to forward and reverse genome amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair) for use in producing an amplicon from CRW genomic DNA, from CRW mRNA pools, and from cDNA produced from such pools. An amplicon produced in this way should exhibit a sequence that encodes all or a part of a CRW gene encoding a homolog of a 26S proteosome subunit protein. SEQ ID NO:45 and SEQ ID NO:46 each contain a 23 nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-23 respectively. Nucleotides 24-46 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:45 correspond to nucleotides 130-152 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:34. Nucleotides 24-41 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:46 correspond to the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:44 from nucleotides 423-440. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:44 and SEQ ID NO:46 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA as a template, a 1113 base pair amplicon comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:47 was produced. The sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:47 did not correspond to the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:44, and therefore was inconsistent with the reported cDNA sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:44. It is preferred that an amplicon is produced using a CRW mRNA pool or a cDNA derived from such pool.

An amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:44 from about nucleotide 130 through about nucleotide 440 was produced and cloned into a plasmid vector, and sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA were recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned amplicon. Double stranded RNA was produced and a sample subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment, the sense strand, consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:44 from about nucleotide position 130 at least through about nucleotide position 440 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:44, and the reverse complement RNA segment, or the anti-sense strand, being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:44 from about nucleotide position 440 at least through about nucleotide position 110, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) was treated with DICER or with RNAse III to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA were overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae were allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to all or a part of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:44 exhibited significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

A Juvenile Hormone Epoxide Hydrolase Homologous Sequence

Insect juvenile hormone controls and regulates a variety of necessary biological processes within the insect life cycle including but not necessarily limited to metamorphosis, reproduction, and diapause. Juvenile hormone (JH) concentrations are required to peak at appropriate times within the haemolymph of the larval form of an insect pest, in particular lepidopteran and coleopteran larvae, and then must be degraded in order to terminate the effects of the hormone response. Enzymes involved in decreasing the concentration of juvenile hormone are effective through two primary pathways of metabolic degradation. One pathway involves juvenile hormone esterse (JHE), which hydrolyzes the methyl ester providing the corresponding acid. The second pathway utilizes juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase (JHBH) to achieve hydrolysis of the epoxide, resulting in formation of the diol. The contribution of JHE in the degradation of JH is well understood and has been found to be invariate between the lepidoptera and coleoptera species. Inhibition of JH esterase has been associated with severe morphological changes including but not limited to larval wandering, deferred pupation, and development of malformed intermediates. In contrast, the contribution of JHEH in JH metabolism is less well understood and had been shown to vary between the species, but recent studies point to evidence that suggests that JHEH may be the primary route of metabolism of JH (Brandon J. Fetterolf, Doctoral Dissertation, North Carolina State University (Feb. 10, 2002) Synthesis and Analysis of Mechanism Based Inhibitors of Juvenile Hormone Epoxide Hydrolase from Insect Trichoplusia ni). In any event, disruption of either JH degradation pathway using gene suppression technology could be an effective target for double stranded RNA mediated pest inhibition.

An insect juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase homologous sequence derived from CRW was identified for use in the present invention. SEQ ID NO:48 corresponds substantially to a CRW midgut cDNA nucleotide sequence. An amino acid sequence translation of SEQ ID NO:48 predicted homology to a juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase (JHEH) in Manduca Sexta (GenBank Accession No. U46682). SEQ ID NO:49 and SEQ ID NO:50 correspond respectively to forward and reverse amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair) for use in producing an amplicon from CRW genomic DNA, CRW mRNA pools, or a CRW cDNA derived from such pools. The sequence of such an amplicon should correspond to all or a part of a CRW gene encoding a JHEH homologous protein. SEQ ID NO:49 and SEQ ID NO:50 each contain a 23 nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-23 respectively. Nucleotides 24-42 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:49 correspond to nucleotides 7-26 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:48. Nucleotides 24-44 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:50 correspond to the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:48 from nucleotides 360-380. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:49 and SEQ ID NO:50 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA as a template, a 95 base pair amplicon comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:52 was produced. The amplicon sequence did not correspond to the cDNA sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:48. Preferably, an amplicon is produced using a CRW mRNA pool or a cDNA derived from such pool as the template nucleotide sequence in the amplification reaction.

An amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:48 is cloned into a plasmid vector, and sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA are recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned amplicon. Double stranded RNA is produced and a sample is subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment, the sense strand, consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:48 from about nucleotide position 7 at least through about nucleotide position 380 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:48, and the reverse complement RNA segment, or the anti-sense strand, being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:48 from about nucleotide position 380 at least through about nucleotide position 7, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is treated with DICER or with RNAse III to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA are overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae are allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to all or a part of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:48 exhibit significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

A Swelling Dependent Chloride Channel Protein Homologous Sequence

Swelling dependent chloride channel proteins have been postulated to play a critical role in osmoregulation in eukaryotic animal cell systems. Therefore, a nucleotide sequence exhibiting the ability to express an amino acid sequence that exhibits homology to previously identified swelling dependent chloride channel proteins may be a useful target for RNA inhibition in a pest.

A swelling dependent chloride channel (SDCC) amino acid sequence homolog was deduced from a CRW cDNA library and used in the present invention. SEQ ID NO:53 corresponds substantially to a CRW midgut cDNA nucleotide sequence. The amino acid sequence translation of SEQ ID NO:53 was determined to be homologous to a SDCC protein in the zebra fish Danio rerio (GenBank Accession No. Y08484). SEQ ID NO:54 and SEQ ID NO:55 SEQ ID NO:55 correspond respectively to forward and reverse thermal amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair) for use in producing an amplicon from CRW genomic DNA, from CRW mRNA pools, or from cDNA derived from such pools. The sequence of such an amplicon should correspond to all or a part of a CRW gene encoding a SDCC homologous protein. SEQ ID NO:54 and SEQ ID NO:55 each contain a 23 nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-23 respectively. Nucleotides 24-43 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:54 correspond to nucleotides 78-97 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:53. Nucleotides 24-41 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:55. SEQ ID NO:55 correspond to the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:53 from nucleotides 332-349. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:54 and SEQ ID NO:55 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA as a template, a 318 base pair amplicon comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:56 is produced, corresponding substantially to a part of the CRW genome encoding a protein exhibiting substantial identity to a SDCC protein. The nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:56 from about nucleotide 24 through about nucleotide 295 corresponds substantially to the nucleotide sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:53 from nucleotides 78-349.

The amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:56 is cloned into a plasmid vector, and sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA are recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned amplicon. Double stranded RNA is produced and a sample subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment, the sense strand, consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:56 from about nucleotide position 24 at least through about nucleotide position 295 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:56, and the reverse complement RNA segment, or the anti-sense strand, being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:56 from about nucleotide position 295 at least through about nucleotide position 24, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is treated with DICER or with RNAse M to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA are overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to all or a part of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:56 exhibit significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

A Glucose-6-Phosphate 1-Dehydrogenase Protein Homologous Sequence

Glucose-6-phosphate 1-dehydrogenase protein (G6PD) catalyzes the oxidation of glucose-6-phosphate to 6-phosphogluconate while concomitantly reducing the oxidized form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADP+) to NADPH. NADPH is known in the art as a required cofactor in many eukaryotic biosynthetic reactions, and is known to maintain glutathione in its reduced form. Reduced glutathione acts as a scavenger for dangerous oxidative metabolites in eukaryotic cells, and with the assistance of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, convert harmful hydrogen peroxide to water (Beutler et al., 1991, N. Engl. J. Med. 324:169-174). Therefore, G6PD may be a preferable target for double stranded RNA mediated inhibition in an invertebrate pest.

A glucose-6-phosphate 1-dehydrogenase protein (G6PD) homologous amino acid sequence was deduced from a CRW cDNA library and used in the present invention. SEQ ID NO:57 corresponds substantially to a CRW midgut cDNA nucleotide sequence. The amino acid sequence translation of SEQ ID NO:57 was determined to exhibit homology to a G6PD protein in a ray-finned fish species (GenBank Accession No. U72484). SEQ ID NO:58 and SEQ ID NO:59 correspond respectively to forward and reverse genome amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair) for use in producing an amplicon from CRW genomic DNA, from CRW mRNA pools, or from cDNA derived from such pools. The sequence of such an amplicon should correspond to all or a part of a CRW gene encoding a G6PD homologous protein. SEQ ID NO:58 and SEQ ID NO:59 each contain a 23 nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-23 respectively. Nucleotides 24-46 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:58 correspond to nucleotides 113-136 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:57. Nucleotides 24-45 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:59 correspond to the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:57 from nucleotides 373-394. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:58 and SEQ ID NO:59 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA as a template, a 328 base pair amplicon comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:60 is produced, corresponding substantially to a part of the CRW genome encoding a protein exhibiting homology to a G6PD protein. The nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:60 from about nucleotide 24 through about nucleotide 305 corresponds substantially to the nucleotide sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:57 from nucleotides 113-394.

An amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:60 is cloned into a plasmid vector, and sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA are recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned amplicon. Double stranded RNA is produced and a sample subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment, the sense strand, consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:60 from about nucleotide position 24 at least through about nucleotide position 305 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:60, and the reverse complement RNA segment, or the anti-sense strand, being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:60 from about nucleotide position 305 at least through about nucleotide position 24, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is treated with DICER or with RNAse II to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA are overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to all or a part of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:60 exhibit significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

An Act42A Protein Homologous Sequence

Actin is a ubiquitous and highly conserved eukaryotic protein required for cell motility and locomotion (Lovato et al., 2001, Insect Mol. Biol. 20:333-340). A number of CRW cDNA sequences were identified that were predicted to likely encode actin or proteins exhibiting amino acid sequence structure related to actin proteins. Therefore, genes encoding actin homologues in a pest cell may be useful targets for double stranded RNA mediated inhibition.

One UNIGENE cluster identified within a corn rootworm midgut cDNA library (Cluster 156_1) consisted of several singleton EST sequences that were each predicted to encode all or part of actin homologous proteins. Upon alignment of these singletons into the cluster, a consensus sequence was derived as set forth in SEQ ID NO:61 that was predicted to encode an actin protein homolog. Homologous actin protein sequences within the annotation group included but were not limited to Drosophila melanogaster actin 3 fragments, a Helicoverpa armigera cytoplasmin actin A3a (GenBank Accession No. X97614), a Drosophila melanogaster actin (GenBank Accession No. X06383), a hemichordate Saccoglossus kowalevskii actin messenger RNA sequence, and a Strongylocentrotus purpuratus actin (GenBank Accession No. X05739).

SEQ ID NO:62 and SEQ ID NO:63 correspond respectively to forward and reverse genome amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair) for use in producing an amplicon from CRW genomic DNA, CRW mRNA pools, or from a cDNA derived from such pools. The sequence of such an amplicon should correspond to all or a part of a CRW gene encoding an actin homologous protein. SEQ ID NO:62 and SEQ ID NO:63 each contain a 23 nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-23 respectively. Nucleotides 24-45 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:62 correspond to nucleotides 14-35 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:61. Nucleotides 24-45 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:63 correspond to the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:61 from nucleotides 449-470. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:62 and SEQ ID NO:63 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA as a template, a 503 base pair amplicon comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 is produced, corresponding substantially to a part of the CRW genome encoding a protein exhibiting homology to an actin protein. The nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 from about nucleotide 24 through about nucleotide 480 corresponds substantially to the nucleotide sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:61 from nucleotides 14-470.

An amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:64 is cloned into a plasmid vector, and sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned amplicon. Double stranded RNA is produced and a sample subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment, the sense strand, consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 from about nucleotide position 24 at least through about nucleotide position 480 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:64, and the reverse complement RNA segment, or the anti-sense strand, being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:64 from about nucleotide position 480 at least through about nucleotide position 24, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is treated with DICER or with RNAse III to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA are overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to all or a part of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:64 exhibit significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

A ADP-Ribosylation Factor 1 Homologous Sequence

ADP ribosylation factors have been demonstrated to be essential in cell function in that they play integral roles in the processes of DNA damage repair, carcinogenesis, cell death, and genomic stability. Thus, it would be useful to be able to selectively disrupt transcription of ADP-ribosylation factors in invertebrate pest species using double stranded RNA mediated inhibition.

A number of CRW cDNA sequences were identified that were predicted to encode amino acid sequences exhibiting homology to ADP-ribosylation factor proteins. One UNIGENE cluster in particular (Cluster 88_1) was composed of about thirty (30) EST singletons that were each predicted to encode all or part of actin homologous proteins. Upon alignment of these singletons into the cluster, a consensus sequence was derived as set forth in SEQ ID NO:65. An amino acid sequence translation of the singleton CRW cDNA sequence comprising this cluster predicted an amino acid sequence exhibiting homology to ADP-ribosylation factor homologs. ADP-ribosylation factor protein sequences exhibiting significant homology to the deduced amino acid sequence from the ORF within SEQ ID NO:65 included but were not limited to a Drosophila melanogaster ADP-ribosylation factor (GenBank Accession No. Y10618), a Drosophila obscura ADP-ribosylation factor (GenBank Accession No. AF025798), a Anopheles gambiae ADP-ribosylation factor (GenBank Accession No. L11617), and a Australian sheep blowfly (Lucilia cuprina) ADP-ribosylation factor (GenBank Accession No. AF218587).

SEQ ID NO:66 and SEQ ID NO:67 correspond respectively to forward and reverse amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair) for use in producing an amplicon from CRW genomic DNA, CRW mRNA pools, or from cDNA sequences derived from such pools. The sequence of such an amplicon should correspond to all or a part of a CRW gene encoding an ADP-ribosylation factor homologous protein. SEQ ID NO:66 and SEQ ID NO:67 each contain a 23 nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-23 respectively. Nucleotides 24-42 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:66 correspond to nucleotides 70-88 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:65. Nucleotides 24-40 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:67 correspond to the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:65 from nucleotides 352-368. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:66 and SEQ ID NO:67 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA as a template, a 345 base pair amplicon comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:68 is produced, corresponding substantially to a part of the CRW genome encoding a protein exhibiting homology to an ADP-ribosylation factor protein. The nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:68 from about nucleotide 24 through about nucleotide 322 corresponds substantially to the nucleotide sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:65 from nucleotides 70-368.

An amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:68 is cloned into a plasmid vector, and sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned amplicon. Double stranded RNA is produced and a sample subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment, the sense strand, consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:68 from about nucleotide position 24 at least through about nucleotide position 322 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:68, and the reverse complement RNA segment, or the anti-sense strand, being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:68, from about nucleotide position 322 at least through about nucleotide position 24, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is treated with DICER or with RNAse II to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA are overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to all or a part of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:68 exhibit significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

A Transcription Factor IIB Protein Homologous Sequence

Transcription elongation and transcription termination factors, as indicated above, are essential to metabolism and may be advantageous targets for double stranded RNA mediated inhibition to control or eliminate invertebrate pest infestation.

A CRW cDNA sequence was identified that was predicted to encode an amino acid sequence exhibiting homology to a transcription factor IIB protein. SEQ ID NO:69 served as the basis for constructing a primer pair for use in amplifying a sequence from within the CRW genome encoding the mRNA that formed the basis for this cDNA sequence.

SEQ ID NO:70 and SEQ ID NO:71 correspond respectively to forward and reverse thermal amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair) for use in producing an amplicon from CRW genomic DNA, from CRW mRNA pools, or from cDNA derived from such pools. The sequence of such an amplicon should correspond to all or a part of a CRW gene encoding a transcription factor IIB homologous protein. SEQ ID NO:70 and SEQ ID NO:71 each contain a 23 nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-23 respectively. Nucleotides 24-44 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:70 correspond to nucleotides 4-24 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:69. Nucleotides 24-44 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:71 correspond to the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:69 from nucleotides 409-429. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:70 and SEQ ID NO:71 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA as a template, a 472 base pair amplicon comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:72 is produced, corresponding substantially to a part of the CRW genome encoding a protein exhibiting homology to a transcription factor IIB protein. The nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:72 from about nucleotide 24 through about nucleotide 449 corresponds substantially to the nucleotide sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:69 from nucleotides 4-429.

An amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:72 is cloned into a plasmid vector, and sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned amplicon. Double stranded RNA is produced and a sample subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment, the sense strand, consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:72 from about nucleotide position 24 at least through about nucleotide position 449 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:72, and the reverse complement RNA segment, or the anti-sense strand, being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:72, from about nucleotide position 449 at least through about nucleotide position 24, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is treated with DICER or with RNAse III to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA are overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to all or a part of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:72 exhibit significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

Chitinase Homologous Sequences

Chitin is a β(1→4)homopolymer of N-acetylglucosamine and is found in insect exoskeletons. Chitin is formed from UDP-N-acetiglucosamine in a reaction catalyzed by chitin synthase. Chitin is a structural homopolymer polysaccharide, and there are many enzymatic steps involved in the construction of this highly branched and cross-linked structure. Chitin gives shape, rigidity and support to insects and provides a scaffolding to which internal organs such as muscles are attached. Chitin must also be degraded to some extent to mediate the steps involved in the insect molting process. Therefore, it is believed that double stranded RNA mediated inhibition of proteins in these pathways would be useful as a means for controlling invertebrate pest infestation.

Amino acid sequence information was identified from translation of corn rootworm midgut cDNA library sequences that exhibited homology to chitinase proteins. One chitinase consensus sequence (UNIGENE Cluster No. 716_1; SEQ ID NO:73) was generated from the alignment of two singleton EST sequences. A second chitinase consensus sequence (UNIGENE Cluster No. 1238_1; SEQ ID NO:77) was generated from the alignment of four singleton sequences. Amino acid sequence translations derived from ORF's within these UNIGENE's were annotated to a mustard beetle (Phaedon cochleariae) chitinase amino acid sequence (GenBank Accession No. Y18011). SEQ ID NO:73 and SEQ ID NO:77 served as the basis for constructing primer pairs for use in amplifying two sequences from within the CRW genome, from CRW mRNA pools, or from cDNA sequences derived from such mRNA pools. The nucleotide sequence of such amplicons should correspond to all or a part of a gene encoding a chitinase homologous protein.

SEQ ID NO:74 and SEQ ID NO:75 correspond respectively to forward and reverse thermal amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair) for use in producing an amplicon from nucleotide sequences derived from a corn rootworm. The sequence of such an amplicon should correspond to all or a part of a CRW gene as set forth in SEQ ID NO:73 encoding a chitinase homologous protein. SEQ ID NO:74 and SEQ ID NO:75 each contain a 23 nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-23 respectively. Nucleotides 24-42 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:74 correspond to nucleotides 1-19 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:73. Nucleotides 24-47 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:75 correspond to the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:73 from nucleotides 470-493. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:74 and SEQ ID NO:75 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA as a template, a 472 base pair amplicon comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:76 is produced, corresponding substantially to a part of the CRW genome encoding a protein exhibiting homology to a chitinase protein. The nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:76 from about nucleotide 24 through about nucleotide 516 corresponds substantially to the nucleotide sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:76 from nucleotides 1-493.

An amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:76 is cloned into a plasmid vector, and sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned amplicon. Double stranded RNA is produced and a sample subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment, the sense strand, consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:76 from about nucleotide position 24 at least through about nucleotide position 516 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:76, and the reverse complement RNA segment, or the anti-sense strand, being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:76, from about nucleotide position 516 at least through about nucleotide position 24, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is treated with DICER or with RNAse III to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA are overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to all or a part of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:76 exhibit significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

SEQ ID NO:78 and SEQ ID NO:79 correspond respectively to forward and reverse genome amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair) for use in producing an amplicon from CRW genomic DNA, CRW mRNA pools, or from cDNA sequences derived from such mRNA pools. The sequence of such an amplicon should correspond to all or a part of a CRW gene as set forth in SEQ ID NO:77 encoding a chitinase homologous protein. SEQ ID NO:78 and SEQ ID NO:79 each contain a 23 nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-23 respectively. Nucleotides 24-44 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:78 correspond to nucleotides 64-84 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:77. Nucleotides 24-44 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:79 correspond to the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:77 from nucleotides 779-799. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:78 and SEQ ID NO:79 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA as a template, a 912 base pair amplicon comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:80 was produced. An alignment of the cDNA sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:77 and the amplicon sequence revealed that there was substantial dissimilarity between the two sequences, resulting only in an about 32% sequence identity. Preferably, an amplicon is produced using primer pairs such as these as set forth at SEQ ID NO:'s 78 and 79 and mRNA or cDNA as template in order to avoid such inconsistencies.

An amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding substantially to SEQ ID NO:77 is cloned into a plasmid vector, and sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA are recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned amplicon. Double stranded RNA is produced and a sample is subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment, the sense strand, consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:77 from about nucleotide position 64 at least through about nucleotide position 799 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:77, and the reverse complement RNA segment, or the anti-sense strand, being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:77, from about nucleotide position 799 at least through about nucleotide position 64, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is treated with DICER or with RNAse III to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA are overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae are allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to allor a part of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:77 exhibit significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

A Ubiquitin Conjugating Enzyme Homologous Sequence

The ubiquitin pathway plays an important role in the control of the cell cycle by the specific degradation of a number of regulatory proteins including mitotic cyclins and inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases such as p27 of mammalian cells. Thus, genes encoding ubiquitin and associated components may be a preferred target for double stranded RNA mediated inhibition. (Smith et al., Plant Phys. 1997, 113:281-291). The ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic pathway is one of the major routes by which intracellular proteins are selectively destroyed in eukaryotes. Conjugation of ubiquitin to substrate proteins is mediated by a remarkably diverse array of enzymes. Proteolytic targeting may also be regulated at steps between ubiquitination of the substrate and its degradation to peptides by the multi-subunit 26S protease. The complexity of the ubiquitin system suggests a central role for protein turnover in eukaryotic cell regulation, and implicates other proteins in the pathway including ubiquitin-activating enzyme, ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme, ubiquitin-protein ligase, and 26S proteasome subunit components. Therefore, it is believed that double stranded RNA mediated inhibition of proteins in this pathway would be useful as a means for controlling invertebrate pest infestation.

A CRW cDNA library sequence was identified that was predicted to encode an amino acid sequence exhibiting homology to a ubiquitin conjugating enzyme. SEQ ID NO:81 served as the basis for constructing a primer pair for use in producing an amplicon comprising all or a part of a ubiquitin conjugating enzyme from corn rootworm.

SEQ ID NO:82 and SEQ ID NO:83 correspond respectively to forward and reverse genome amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair) for use in producing an amplicon from CRW genomic DNA, from CRW mRNA pools, or from a cDNA derived from such mRNA pools. The sequence of such amplicon should correspond to all or a part of a CRW gene encoding a ubiquitin conjugating enzyme homologous protein. SEQ ID NO:82 and SEQ ID NO:83 each contain a 23 nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-23 respectively. Nucleotides 24-42 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:82 correspond to nucleotides 16-34 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:81. Nucleotides 24-42 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:83 correspond to the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:81 from nucleotides 295-313. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:82 and SEQ ID NO:83 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA as a template, a 344 base pair amplicon comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:84 is produced, corresponding substantially to a part of the CRW genome encoding a protein exhibiting homology to a ubiquitin conjugating enzyme. The nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:84 from about nucleotide 24 through about nucleotide 321 corresponds substantially to the nucleotide sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:81 from nucleotides 16-313.

An amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:84 is cloned into a plasmid vector, and sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA are recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned amplicon. Double stranded RNA is produced and a sample subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment, the sense strand, consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:84 from about nucleotide position 24 at least through about nucleotide position 253 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:84, and the reverse complement RNA segment, or the anti-sense strand, being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:84, from about nucleotide position 253 at least through about nucleotide position 24, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is treated with DICER or with RNAse III to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA are overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to all or a part of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:84 exhibit significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

A Glyceraldehyde-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Homologous Sequence

The glycolytic pathway is an essential pathway in most organisms and is involved in the production of metabolic energy from the degradation of glucose. One important enzyme in the second stage of the glycolytic pathway is glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH), which, in the presence of NAD+ and inorganic phosphate, catalyzes the oxidation of 3-phospho-glyceraldehyde to 3-phosphoglyceroyl-phosphate along with the formation of NADH. The important component of this reaction is the storage of energy through the formation of NADH. Genes encoding enzymes associated with the glycolytic pathway, and particularly genes encoding enzymes involved in the steps useful in formation of energy reserves may be particularly useful targets for double stranded RNA mediated inhibition in invertebrate pest species.

A CRW cDNA library sequence was identified that was predicted to encode an amino acid sequence exhibiting homology to a glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH) protein. The consensus sequence for the cluster set forth at SEQ ID NO:85 was assembled from the overlapping sequences of three singleton EST sequences. An amino acid sequence translation of an ORF within the nucleotide sequence SEQ ID NO:85 exhibited homology with a G3PDH amino acid sequence derived from a Crytococcus curvatus G3PDH gene (GenBank Accession No. AF126158) and with a G3PDH protein amino acid sequence from the organism Drosophila pseudoobscura (GenBank Accession No. AF025809). Thus, an amino acid sequence translation of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:85 was predicted to be a part of a CRW G3PDH enzyme protein. The nucleotide sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:85 served as the basis for constructing a thermal amplification primer pair for use in amplifying a sequence encoding a CRW G3PDH enzyme sequence.

SEQ ID NO:86 and SEQ ID NO:87 correspond respectively to forward and reverse thermal amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair) for use in producing an amplicon from CRW nucleotide sequences, either genome DNA, mRNA pools, or from cDNA sequences derived from such mRNA pools. The sequence of such an amplicon should correspond to all or a part of a CRW gene encoding a G3PDH homologous protein. SEQ ID NO:86 and SEQ ID NO:87 each contain a 23 nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-23 respectively. Nucleotides 24-45 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:86 correspond to nucleotides 103-124 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:85. Nucleotides 24-45 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:87 correspond to the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:85 from nucleotides 573-594. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:86 and SEQ ID NO:87 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA as a template, a 538 base pair amplicon comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:88 is produced, corresponding substantially to a part of the CRW genome encoding a protein exhibiting homology to a ubiquitin conjugating enzyme. The nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:88 from about nucleotide 24 through about nucleotide 515 corresponds substantially to the nucleotide sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:85 from nucleotides 103-594.

An amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:88 is cloned into a plasmid vector, and sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA are recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned amplicon. Double stranded RNA is produced and a sample subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment, the sense strand, consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:88 from about nucleotide position 24 at least through about nucleotide position 515 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:88, and the reverse complement RNA segment, or the anti-sense strand, being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:88, from about nucleotide position 515 at least through about nucleotide position 24, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is treated with DICER or with RNAse II to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA are overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to all or a part of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:88 exhibit significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

A Ubiquitin B Homologous Sequence

As described above, the ubiquitin protein degradation pathway plays an important role in the control of the cell cycle by the specific degradation of a number of regulatory proteins including mitotic cyclins and inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases such as p27 of mammalian cells. Thus, genes encoding ubiquitin and associated components may be a preferred target for double stranded RNA mediated inhibition. (Smith et al., Plant Phys. 1997, 113:281-291).

A CRW cDNA library sequence was identified that was predicted to encode an amino acid sequence exhibiting homology to a protein designated herein as ubiquitin B. The consensus sequence for the UNIGENE cluster set forth at SEQ ID NO:89 was assembled from the overlapping sequences of four singleton EST sequences. An amino acid sequence translation of SEQ ID NO:89 exhibited homology with a polyubiquitin amino acid sequence from Amoeba proteus (GenBank Accession No. AF034789) and with a ubiquitin protein sequence from Drosophila melanogaster (GenBank Accession No. M22428). Thus, an amino acid sequence translation of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:89 was believed to encode a ubiquitin B. SEQ ID NO:89 served as the basis for constructing a primer pair for use in a thermal amplification reaction to amplify a nucleotide sequence encoding all or a part of a corn rootworm ubiquitin B amino acid sequence.

SEQ ID NO:90 and SEQ ID NO:91 correspond respectively to forward and reverse thermal amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair) for use in producing an amplicon from nucleotide sequences derived from CRW, either genomic DNA, mRNA pools, or cDNA derived from such mRNA pools. The sequence of such an amplicon should correspond to all or a part of a CRW gene encoding a ubiquitin B homologous protein. SEQ ID NO:90 and SEQ ID NO:91 each contain a 23 nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-23 respectively. Nucleotides 24-40 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:90 correspond to nucleotides 62-78 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:89. Nucleotides 24-47 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:91 correspond to the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:89 from nucleotides 399-422. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:90 and SEQ ID NO:91 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA as a template, a 407 base pair amplicon comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:92 is produced, corresponding substantially to a part of the CRW genome encoding a protein exhibiting homology to a ubiquitin conjugating enzyme. The nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:92 from about nucleotide 24 through about nucleotide 384 corresponds substantially to the nucleotide sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:89 from nucleotides 62-422.

The amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:92 is cloned into a plasmid vector, and sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned amplicon. Double stranded RNA is produced and a sample subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment, the sense strand, consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:92 from about nucleotide position 24 at least through about nucleotide position 384 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:92, and the reverse complement RNA segment, or the anti-sense strand, being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:92, from about nucleotide position 384 at least through about nucleotide position 24, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is treated with DICER or with RNAse II to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA are overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to all or a part of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:92 exhibit significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

A Juvenile Hormone Esterase Homolog

As indicated above, insect juvenile hormone controls and regulates a variety of necessary biological processes within the insect life cycle including but not necessarily limited to metamorphosis, reproduction, and diapause. Disruption of JH synthesis or degradation pathways using gene suppression technology could be an effective target for double stranded RNA mediated pest inhibition.

An insect juvenile hormone esterase homologous sequence derived from CRW was identified for use in the present invention. SEQ ID NO:93 corresponds substantially to a CRW midgut cDNA nucleotide sequence. An amino acid sequence translation of SEQ ID NO:93 predicted homology to a juvenile hormone esterase (JHE). SEQ ID NO:94 and SEQ ID NO:95 correspond respectively to forward and reverse amplification primers (i.e., a primer pair) for use in producing an amplicon from CRW genomic DNA, CRW mRNA pools, or a CRW cDNA derived from such pools. The sequence of such an amplicon should correspond to all or a part of a CRW gene encoding a JHE homologous protein. SEQ ID NO:94 and SEQ ID NO:95 each contain a 23 nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-23 respectively. Nucleotides 24-45 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:94 correspond to nucleotides 58-79 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:93. Nucleotides 24-46 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:95 correspond to the reverse complement of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:93 from nucleotides 338-360. Using the primer pair consisting of SEQ ID NO:94 and SEQ ID NO:95 in an amplification reaction with CRW genomic DNA as a template, a 348 base pair amplicon was produced comprising the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:170. Preferably, an amplicon is produced using a CRW mRNA pool or a cDNA derived from such pool as the template nucleotide sequence in the amplification reaction.

An amplicon exhibiting the sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:170 is cloned into a plasmid vector, and sufficient amounts of plasmid DNA are recovered to allow for in vitro T7 RNA polymerase transcription from the embedded convergent T7 promoters at either end of the cloned amplicon. Double stranded RNA is produced and a sample is subjected to bioassay; one RNA segment, the sense strand, consisting of the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:170 from about nucleotide position 45 at least through about nucleotide position 302 except that a uridine residue is present at each position in which a thymidine residue is shown in SEQ ID NO:96, and the reverse complement RNA segment, or the anti-sense strand, being substantially the reverse complement of the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:170 from about nucleotide position 302 at least through about nucleotide position 45, uridines appropriately positioned in place of thymidines. A sample of double stranded RNA (dsRNA) is treated with DICER or with RNAse M to produce sufficient quantities of small interfering RNA's (siRNA). Samples containing 0.15 parts per million siRNA or dsRNA are overlayed onto CRW diet bioassay as described above and larvae are allowed to feed for 13 days. CRW larvae feeding on diet containing dsRNA corresponding to all or a part of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO:170 exhibit significant growth inhibition and mortality compared to controls.

Ten of the double stranded RNA molecules listed above were tested in bioassay in parallel with small interfering RNA's generated from the double stranded RNA molecules. Double stranded RNA sequence samples or small interfering RNA samples prepared from the double stranded RNA sequence samples, each corresponding to amino acid sequences annotated to selected target gene homologs including a 40 kDa V-ATPase homolog, an EF-1-alpha homolog, a 26S proteasome subunit p28 homolog, a juvenile hormone epoxide hydrolase homolog, a CHD3 homolog, a beta-tubulin homolog, two chitinase homologs, a transcription factor IIB homolog, and a juvenile hormone esterase homolog (corresponding respectively to SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:39, SEQ ID NO:47, SEQ ID NO:52, SEQ ID NO:7, SEQ ID NO:21, SEQ ID NO:76, SEQ ID NO:80, SEQ ID NO:72, and SEQ ID NO:96) were applied to the insect diet at a concentration of about ten parts per million (30 microliters of solution containing a double stranded RNA sample adjusted to an appropriate concentration was added to microtiter dish wells containing 200 microliters insect diet per well). A total of eighteen wells were used for each sample. A single first instar larva was added to each well after the RNA samples had diffused into the diet. The bioassays were incubated as indicated above for about 13 days and monitored daily for morbidity and mortality. An amino acid sequence variant Cry3Bb1 insecticidal crystal protein designated as insecticidal protein 11231 in English et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 6,642,030) was used as a positive control for observing insecticidal bioactivity specific for the rootworm pest. Cry3Bb was applied to the diet as set forth in English et al., except that the concentration of Cry3Bb in the diet was adjusted to be about 200-300 parts per million. A separate control sample that was treated only with buffer or water was also included in the assay. A double stranded RNA control sample and a small interfering RNA control sample produced from double stranded RNA control samples were also included as additional negative controls (MEGAscript® RNAi Kit, AMBION, Austin, Tex.).

An initial evaluation using double stranded RNA molecules derived from these ten sequences indicated that larvae which were allowed to feed on diet containing double stranded RNA corresponding to a 40 kDa V-ATPase homolog (SEQ ID NO:35), a CHD3 homolog (SEQ ID NO:7), and a beta-tubulin homolog (SEQ ID NO:31) exhibited significant mortality in comparison to the controls. Based on these results, additional bioassays were conducted to test whether small interfering double stranded RNA particles would be more effective than the full length double stranded RNA molecules.

A Alpha Tubuliln Homologous Sequence

Eukaryotic cells generally utilize cytoskeletal structural elements that are important, no t only as a mechanical scaffold, but also in sustaining the shape of the cell. Semiflexible microfilaments make cells mobile, help them to divide in mitosis (cytokinesis) and, in vertebrate and invertebrate animals, are responsible for muscular contraction. The relatively stiff microtubules which are made up of alpha and beta tubulin proteins play an important role in acting as a sort of highway for transport of vesicles and organelles and in the separation of chromosomes during mitosis (karyokinesis). The flexible intermediate filaments provide at least additional strength to the overall cellular structure. The cytoskeleton is also known to be involved in signaling across the cell cytoplasm. Taking these functions into account, it is believed that any disruption of the cytoskeleton or even subtle changes of its integrity may cause pathological consequences to a cell.

At least one CRW cDNA library sequence was identified that was predicted to encode an amino acid sequence exhibiting homology to a protein designated herein as alpha tubulin, and more specifically referred to herein as SEQ ID NO:163 as set forth in the sequence listing. An amino acid sequence translation of the sequence as set forth at SEQ ID NO: 163 was believed to encode an alpha tubulin protein or fragment thereof. SEQ ID NO: 163 served as the basis for constructing a sequence that is predicted to form a double stranded RNA when expressed in E. coli from a T7 promoter or in a plant from a plant functional promoter. A sequence serving as the basis for such double stranded RNA coding sequence is SEQ ID NO:97 as set forth in the sequence listing from nucleotide position 58 through nucleotide position 1010. This sequence can be expressed as a RNA molecule and purified and tested in vitro feeding assays for determining corn rootworm inhibition.

A T7 RNA polymerase promoter was introduced upstream of a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:97 from nucleotide position 58 through nucleotide position 1010, and RNA was produced from this construct (pIC17527). Such RNA was tested in triplicate in an in vitro feeding assay against corn rootworms against a beta tubulin positive control (described hereinabove), 200 ppm Cry3Bb, and an untreated control, and mean mortality was determined. Untreated control samples exhibited less than about 3-5% mortality, while all other test samples exhibited from about 20 to about 55% mortality. Cry3Bb samples exhibited from about 20 to about 36% mortality, while the pIC17527 samples (at 15 ppm) exhibited from about 38 to about 45% mortality. The D8 (beta tubulin as set forth herein above) samples, also at about 15 ppm, exhibited from about 38 to about 52% mortality. Based on these results, the alpha tubulin construct was placed under the control of a plant functional promoter, used to transform corn plants, and transformation events arising from the transformation were tested for their ability to resist corn rootworm infestation.

Roots from RO corn plants transformed with a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:97. Briefly, the sequence encoding a dsRNA construct in SEQ ID NO:97 as described above was linked at the 5′ end to a sequence that consisted of an e35S promoter operably linked to a maize hsp70 intron and at the 3′ end to a NOS3′ transcription termination and polyadenylation sequence. This expression cassette was placed downstream of a glyphosate selection cassette. These linked cassettes were then placed into an Agrobacterium tumefaciens plant transformation functional vector and the new vector was designated as pMON72829 (the alpha tubulin dsRNA construct), used to transform maize tissue to glyphosate tolerance, and events were selected and transferred to soil. RO plant roots were fed to western corn rootworm larvae (WCR, Diabrotica virifera). Transgenic corn roots were handed-off in Petri dishes with MSOD medium containing the antibiotics and glyphosate for in vitro selection. Two WCR larvae were infested per root in each dish with a fine tip paintbrush. The dishes were sealed with Parafilm to prevent the larvae from escaping. The assays were placed into a 27° C., 60% RH Percival incubator in complete darkness. Contamination and larval quality were monitored. After six days of feeding on root tissue, the larvae were transferred to WCR diet in a 96 well plate. The larvae were allowed to feed on the diet for eight days making the full assay fourteen days long. Larval mass and survivorship were recorded for analysis. A one-way analysis was performed on the larval mass data and a Dunnett's test to look for statistical significance compared to LH244, an untransformed negative control. WCR larvae were significantly stunted (α=0.05) after feeding on two events, ZM_S125922 and ZM_S125938, and compared to growth of larvae fed on negative control plants (p<0.02). Larvae feeding on negative control plants exhibited a mean larval mass of from about 0.6 to about 0.8 mg, while larvae feeding on the transgenic roots exhibited a mean larval mass of from about 0.1 to about 0.2 mg.

Transgenic corn plants (RO) generated using pMON72829 were planted into 10-inch pots containing Metromix soil after reaching an appropriate size. When plants reached the V4 growth stage, approximately 1000 Western corn rootworm (WCR, Diabrotica virifera) eggs were infested into the root zone. Non-transgenic corn of the same genotype was infested at a similar growth stage to serve as a negative control. Eggs were pre-incubated so hatch would occur within 24 hours of infestation. Larvae were allowed to feed on the root systems for 3 weeks. Plants were removed from the soil and washed so that the roots could be evaluated for larval feeding. Root damage was rated using a Node Injury Scale (NIS) was used to score the level of damage where a 0 indicates no damage, a 1 indicates that one node of roots was pruned to within 1.5 inches, a 2 indicates that 2 nodes were pruned, while a 3 indicates that 3 nodes were pruned. Because the plants being used for evaluation were directly out of tissue culture after transformation and because transformation events are unique, only a single plant was evaluated per event at this time and no statistics are available. All plants in the assay presented symptoms of larval feeding indicating that a successful infestation was obtained. Negative control plant roots were moderately to severely damaged averaging about 1.9 on the Node Injury Scale. Single plants from eight different transgenic events were tested. Roots of three of these transgenic plants provided excellent control of larval feeding, averaging about 0.2 or less on the Node Injury Scale. Roots from two of the transgenic plants exhibited moderate feeding damage, and three other transgenic plants exhibited no control of larval feeding. This data indicated that the double nucleotide sequence encoding a RNA sequence that can form into a dsRNA is fully capable of providing protection from rootworm pest infestation when expressed in a transgenic plant and that plant is provided in the diet of the rootworm pest.

One explanation for the lack of consistent observable mortality or other effects with the sequences selected for gene suppression including EF1alpha, 26S proteasome subunit, and various other cDNA sequences could be that, for these genes, there are expressed homologues present within the population of genes encoding proteins that have similar functions but exhibit sufficient sequence differences that the RNAi pathway does not act to suppress the homologue using the sequences selected for suppression.

Example 2

This example illustrates significant pest inhibition obtained by feeding to an invertebrate pest a diet containing double stranded RNA sequences derived from that pest.

Artificial diet sufficient for rearing corn rootworm larvae was prepared by applying samples of double stranded RNA sequences derived from six different corn rootworm cDNA library sequences. Corn rootworm larvae were allowed to feed on the diet for several days and mortality, morbidity and stunting monitored in comparison to rootworms allowed to feed only on control diet. The nucleotide sequences that were used in the diet were derived from sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:39, SEQ ID NO:47, SEQ ID NO:52, SEQ ID NO:7, and SEQ ID NO:31, each corresponding to nucleotide sequences derived from a corn rootworm cDNA library, the deduced amino acid sequence translation of which corresponds respectively to proteins annotated to a 40 kDa V-ATPase homolog, an EF1α homolog, a 26S proteasome subunit homolog, a juvenile hormone epoxide hydroxylase homolog, a CHD3 homolog, and a β-tubulin homolog.

Double stranded RNA's (dsRNA's) corresponding to these sequences were produced as indicated above. siRNA's were generated by cleavage of the corresponding dsRNA's using RNAse III enzyme, which is known to cleave dsRNA into 12-15 bp dsRNA fragments containing 2 to 3 nucleotide 3′ overhangs, and 5′ phosphate and 3′ hydroxyl termini. The siRNA's produced in this fashion were expected to exhibit the same properties as siRNA's that would be produced by the Dicer enzyme involved in the eukaryotic RNAi pathway.

The dsRNA's and siRNA's were sampled onto the CRW diet as indicated above at about 0.15 ppm. 12 individual corn rootworm larvae were tested separately against each dsRNA or siRNA sample as indicated above and the results were scored after 13 days.

A significant reduction in larval mass (p<0.05) was observed for larvae feeding on diet containing 0.15 ppm dsRNA sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:52, SEQ ID NO:7, and SEQ ID NO:31 compared to the untreated control (UTC). siRNA corresponding to sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:39, SEQ ID NO:47, and SEQ ID NO:7 also provided a significant reduction in larval mass (p<0.05). However, the larval sample size was insufficient to establish with certainty that the dsRNA or siRNA molecules which resulted in the greatest decrease in larval mass compared to the controls was a result of random variation or clearly a result based on double stranded RNA mediated inhibition of some biological function within the rootworm larvae. Therefore, based on these results, RNA sequences corresponding to SEQ ID NO:35, SEQ ID NO:39, SEQ ID NO:7, and SEQ ID NO:31 were re-evaluated with a larger larval sample size.

dsRNA or siRNA samples were applied to each of 72 wells for each of the four RNA sequences in the evaluation. Each well was loaded with 0.15 ppm dsRNA or siRNA as indicated above by applying a 30 microliter volume containing the RNA to the surface of the diet and allowing the sample to infuse and the surface of the diet to dry. A single larva was added to each well and incubated for thirteen days. Larval mortality and morbidity were evaluated, and mass of surviving larvae was determined. The bioassay results are shown in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Bioassay Results RNA % Mortality Mass (mg) STE dsRNA Bioassay Results SEQ ID NO: 35 62.25 0.42 0.12 SEQ ID NO: 39 50.5 0.39 0.05 SEQ ID NO: 7 47.67 0.37 0.05 SEQ ID NO: 31 92.24 0.27 0.05 dsRNA Control¹ 21.08 0.58 0.08 Cry3Bb² 42.08 0.21 0.03 UTC 5.58 1.24 0.33 siRNA Bioassay Results SEQ ID NO: 35 21.11 0.45 0.06 SEQ ID NO: 35 21.39 1.31 0.16 SEQ ID NO: 7 15.83 0.73 0.09 SEQ ID NO: 31 20.00 0.39 0.07 siRNA Control¹ 6.52 1.10 0.16 Cry3Bb² 27.78 0.49 0.05 UTC 9.45 1.25 0.18 All siRNA samples at 0.15 ppm per well UTC-10 mM TrisHCl pH 7.5 STE-standard error ¹phage λ dsRNA, EPICENTER TECHNOLOGIES, Madison, Wisconsin in dsRNA bioassay; MEGAscript ® RNAi Kit, AMBION, Austin, Texas in siRNA bioassay ²Cry3Bb variant 11231 at 300 ppm in dsRNA bioassay, 200 ppm in siRNA bioassay

All samples were compared to each other using Tukey's HSD method rather than to any single control. Significant larval stunting was observed for each dsRNA or siRNA tested as judged by average mass reduction of surviving larvae compared to the untreated control. More importantly, the double stranded small interfering RNA samples demonstrated an ability to cause mortality and morbidity (based on reduced larval mass) at a level that was at least as effective as the positive control sample Cry3Bb variant 11231. These results suggest that any double stranded RNA molecule derived from a messenger RNA sequence present in the cells of corn rootworm could be effective when provided to rootworms in their diet to inhibit rootworm pest infestation of a plant species.

Example 3

This example illustrates nucleotide sequences for expression in a plant cell, and the effect of providing such nucleotide sequences in the diet of a corn rootworm.

A CHD3 coding sequence derived from a corn rootworm cDNA library was used to construct a nucleotide sequence encoding a stabilized double stranded RNA. A cDNA sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:171 encoding a part of an ortholog or a homolog of a CHD3 amino acid sequence was used to construct a primer pair for use in a thermal amplification reaction using corn rootworm genomic template DNA. The primer pair as set forth at SEQ ID NO:5 and SEQ ID NO:6 enabled the amplification of a double stranded genome amplicon, one strand of which exhibited the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:7. Three nucleotide sequence segments were produced from the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:7. A first nucleotide segment (SEQ ID NO:174) was produced using a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:7 as template in a thermal amplification reaction along with the thermal amplification primer pair exhibiting the sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NO:8 and SEQ ID NO:9. A second nucleotide segment (SEQ ID NO:13) was produced using a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:7 as template in a thermal amplification reaction along with the thermal amplification primer pair exhibiting the sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NO:11 and SEQ ID NO:12. A third nucleotide segment (SEQ ID NO:16) was produced using a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:7 as template in a thermal amplification reaction along with the thermal amplification primer pair exhibiting the sequences a set forth in SEQ ID NO:14 and SEQ ID NO:15. The 3′ end of one of the strands the first segment is complementary to the 3′ end of one of the strands of the second segment so that in a thermal amplification reaction containing both of these segments, these complementary ends hybridize and allow for the polymerase-mediated extension of both strands from their respective 3′ ends. The 3′ end of the other strand of the second segment is complementary to the 3′ end of one of the strands of the third segment, so that in a thermal amplification reaction containing both of these segments, these complementary ends hybridize and allow for the polymerase-mediated extension of both strands from their respective 3′ ends. In a thermal amplification reaction containing all three segments and their complementary sequences, i.e., the first, the second and the third segment, along with thermal amplification primer sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NO:8 and SEQ ID NO:15, a new sequence is produced as set forth in SEQ ID NO:17, that when placed under the control of a promoter that functions in plants, can produce an RNA nucleotide sequence substantially identical to the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 except that uridine residues are present in place of thymidine residues. This RNA nucleotide sequence can form into a stabilized RNA molecule by virtue of the reverse complementarity of the third segment to the first segment, in which the portion of SEQ ID NO:17 corresponding to the third segment from about nucleotide position 303 to about nucleotide position 473 hybridizes to the portion of SEQ ID NO:17 corresponding to the first segment from about nucleotide position 1 through about nucleotide position 171, and the first and the third segments are linked by a second nucleotide sequence segment, which in this example is represented by the portion of SEQ ID NO:17 corresponding to the second segment from about nucleotide position 172 through about nucleotide position 302. Expression of a nucleotide sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:17 in plant cells results in the synthesis of a stabilized RNA molecule. Plant cells transcribing a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:17 into an RNA sequence can be provided in the diet of a corn rootworm. A corn rootworm feeding upon such plant cells stop feeding, is prevented from developing into an adult beetle, is prevented from breeding, dies, or suffers from any or all of these effects as a result of inhibition of the CHD3 homologous protein synthesis.

A β-tubulin coding sequence derived from a corn rootworm cDNA library was used to construct a nucleotide sequence encoding a stabilized double stranded RNA. A cDNA sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:18 encoding a part of an ortholog or a homolog of a β-tubulin amino acid sequence was used to construct a primer pair for use in a thermal amplification reaction using corn rootworm genomic template DNA. The primer pair as set forth at SEQ ID NO:19 and SEQ ID NO:20 enabled the amplification of a double stranded genome amplicon, one strand of which exhibited the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:21. Three nucleotide sequence segments were produced from the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:21. A first nucleotide segment (SEQ ID NO:173) was produced using a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:21 as template in a thermal amplification reaction along with the thermal amplification primer pair exhibiting the sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NO:22 and SEQ ID NO:23. A second nucleotide segment (SEQ ID NO:27) was produced using a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:21 as template in a thermal amplification reaction along with the thermal amplification primer pair exhibiting the sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NO:25 and SEQ ID NO:26. A third nucleotide segment (SEQ ID NO:36) was produced using a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:21 as template in a thermal amplification reaction along with the thermal amplification primer pair exhibiting the sequences a set forth in SEQ ID NO:28 and SEQ ID NO:29. The 3′ end of one of the strands the first segment is complementary to the 3′ end of one of the strands of the second segment so that in a thermal amplification reaction containing both of these segments, these complementary ends hybridize and allow for the polymerase-mediated extension of both strands from their respective 3′ ends. The 3′ end of the other strand of the second segment is complementary to the 3′ end of one of the strands of the third segment, so that in a thermal amplification reaction containing both of these segments, these complementary ends hybridize and allow for the polymerase-mediated extension of both strands from their respective 3′ ends. In a thermal amplification reaction containing all three segments and their complementary sequences, i.e., the first, the second and the third segment, along with thermal amplification primer sequences as set forth in SEQ ID NO:22 and SEQ ID NO:29, a new sequence is produced as set forth in SEQ ID NO:31, that when placed under the control of a promoter that functions in plants, can produce an RNA nucleotide sequence substantially identical to the sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:31 except that uridine residues are present in place of thymidine residues. This RNA nucleotide sequence can form into a stabilized RNA molecule by virtue of the reverse complementarity of the third segment to the first segment, in which the portion of SEQ ID NO:31 corresponding to the third segment from about nucleotide position 358 to about nucleotide position 577 hybridizes to the portion of SEQ ID NO:31 corresponding to the first segment from about nucleotide position 31 through about nucleotide position 250, and the first and third segments are linked by a second nucleotide sequence segment, which in this example is represented a portion of SEQ ID NO:31 corresponding to the second segment from about nucleotide position 251 through about nucleotide position 357. Expression of a nucleotide sequence corresponding to SEQ ID NO:31 in plant cells results in the synthesis of a stabilized RNA molecule. Plant cells transcribing a nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:31 into an RNA sequence can be provided in the diet of a corn rootworm. A corn rootworm feeding upon such plant cells stop feeding, is prevented from developing into an adult beetle, is prevented from breeding, dies, or suffers from any or all of these effects as a result of inhibition of the P tubulin protein synthesis.

Example 4

This example illustrates the synergistic effects of providing in the diet of an invertebrate pest one or more pesticidally effective compositions together with one or more double stranded RNA sequences derived from the invertebrate pest, the one or more dsRNA sequences having previously demonstrated a pesticidal effect when provided in the diet of the pest.

As indicated in example 3, providing in the diet of an invertebrate pest a double stranded RNA molecule derived from that pest results in the inhibition of one or more biological functions in the pest and therefore functions to achieve a pesticidal effect, resulting in the mortality of the pest or some other measurable feature that reduces the ability of the pest to infest a particular environment or host. The addition of one or more other pesticidal agents, each different from each other and each functioning to achieve its pesticidal effect by a means different from the way in which the dsRNA functions to achieve its pesticidal effect, may result in achieving an improvement in the level of pest control and would further decrease the likelihood that the pest would develop resistance to any one or more of the pesticidal agents or dsRNA's when used alone to achieve inhibition of the pest.

To test this, CRW larvae are allowed to feed on diet into which is incorporated varying amounts of a Cry3Bb rootworm inhibitory protein and a fixed amount of a double stranded RNA formulated above as set forth in Example 2 or 3, such as a dsRNA corresponding to SEQ ID NO:17 or SEQ ID NO:31. A synergistic pest inhibition effect is observed. As set forth in Example 2 and 3, an LD50 amount of a variant Cry3Bb was used to achieve about 50% insect larvae mortality with a coordinate reduction in fitness of the surviving larvae as judged by the reduced larvae weights in comparison to negative controls. Reducing the amount of the insecticidal protein in the diet results in a coordinate reduction in the mortality rate, and an increase in the mean surviving larval weights. The addition of dsRNA corresponding to either SEQ ID NO:31 or to SEQ ID NO:17 results in almost complete mortality at each concentration of Cry3Bb, and a substantial decrease in the mean weight of any survivors. This suggests a synergistic effect. Synergy may be achieved through the disturbance in the larval mid-gut as a result of the introduction of any amount of Cry3Bb, which has been shown to introduce pores into the mid-gut membrane. The pores may allow a greater level of the double stranded RNA species to permeate into cells or even into the haemolymph, resulting in a more efficient delivery of the dsRNA species into the larvae, and thus resulting in a more efficient reduction in the suppression of the target mRNA. Particular combinations of pore forming compositions along with double stranded RNA compositions results in an enhanced and synergistic pesticidal effect because dsRNA is now more able to be distributed throughout the haemolymph and exert effects on cells and tissues remote from the gut of the pest. Particular pore forming compositions include but may not be limited to insecticidal toxin proteins derived from B. thuringiensis and related species, whether or not these are demonstrated to be insecticidal to a particular insect, and further may include but not be limited to pore forming domains of such toxins. Such pore forming compositions may also include one or more such pore forming toxins or domains or combinations thereof, each different from the other, each exhibiting a different mode of action as judged by each toxin or domain channel forming properties including kinetics of ion channel formation, sizes of conductance states, total membrane conductance, ion specificity, and ion channel gating properties. Combinations of such pore forming compositions along with dsRNA molecules specific for suppression of one or more genes in a coleopteran species are specifically contemplated herein.

Example 5

This example illustrates that the nucleotide sequence fragments of the V-ATPase, when provided in the double stranded RNA form in the diet of a CRW species, are useful for controlling the insect pest.

The sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:104 is a cDNA clone that represents 1870 nucleotides of a 2400 nucleotide mRNA encoding a protein exhibiting substantial sequence identity to a Drosophila melanogaster Vacuolar ATPase (68 kd, subunit 2). This cDNA clone was fully sequenced on both strands using primers designed from the initial sequence data. These sequencing primers are listed as SEQ ID NO:105 through SEQ ID NO:120. SEQ ID NO:121 and SEQ ID NO:122 are sequences of the primers used to produce a copy of SEQ ID NO:104 from the cDNA in the cloning vector pSPORT (Invitrogen). Each primer contained a 20-nucleotide T7 promoter sequence from nucleotide positions 1-20. Nucleotides 21-44 set forth in SEQ ID NO:121 and nucleotides 21-45 of SEQ ID NO:122 correspond to sequences within the pSPORT vector flanking the inserted cDNA. These primers allow the amplification of a DNA template containing the cDNA fragment flanked at either end with T7 promoters, allowing for the in vitro production of double stranded RNA with a T7 RNA polymerase. When double stranded RNA derived from SEQ ID NO:104 was included in the CRW diet, about 80% mortality was observed.

Six different regions of SEQ ID NO:104 were tested by using the following sets of amplification primers: SEQ ID NO:123 and SEQ ID NO:124, corresponding to nucleotides 1 to 291 (referred to as section #1, 271 base pairs) of SEQ ID NO: 1; SEQ ID NO:125 and SEQ ID NO:126 corresponding to nucleotides 292 to 548 (referred to as section #2, 260 base pairs); SEQ ID NO:127 and SEQ ID NO:128 corresponding to 549 to 830 (referred to as section #3, 271 base pairs); SEQ ID NO:129 and SEQ ID NO:130 corresponding to nucleotides 840 to 1345 (referred to as section #4, 505 base pairs); SEQ ID NO:131 and SEQ ID NO:132 corresponding to nucleotides 1360 to 1621 (referred to as section #5 261 base pairs); SEQ ID NO:133 and SEQ ID NO:136 corresponding to nucleotides 1540 to 1870 (referred to as section #6, 278 base pairs). Note that section 5 and 6 overlapped by approximately 80 base pairs. When these 6 sections were separately incorporated into CRW diet, sections #1, #2, #3 and #4 showed CRW mortality ranging from 94% to 100%. Section #5 and #6 showed no CRW mortality above the background seen in the untreated controls. The sequence represented by section #1 was further subdivided into 3 smaller sections, each of these three smaller sections being represented by at least from about 150 to about 180 contiguous nucleotides within section #1, so that the first subsection in section #1 overlapped with the second subsection in section #1, and the third subsection in section #1 overlapped with the second subsection. Each of these subsections were tested separately in the CRW bioassay. Mortality between 80 and 90% was observed using these three shorter sequences.

A second means for testing the bioactivity of dsRNA molecules derived from CRW genes is to construct a self-complementary RNA molecule. By combining the same DNA sequence in the reverse orientation with the T7 RNA polymerase promoter a single RNA molecule can be synthesized which is self complementary. One such RNA molecule was constructed by combining the nucleotides 1 through 345 with the nucleotides 50 through 325, from the nucleotide sequence as set forth in SEQ ID NO:104. The resulting sequence is as set forth in SEQ ID NO:137 and was designated as pIC17527. pIC17527 was cloned into pTOPT2.1 (Invitrogen). Using the T7 promoter in the pTOPO 2.1 vector a dsRNA approximately 500 base pair nucleotides was produced and incorporated into CRW diet. The resulting mortality was between 80% to 100%.

Example 6

This example illustrates the oral toxicity of dsRNA's towards larvae of the Colorado Potato Beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata.

Total RNA was isolated from larvae of the Colorado potato beetle (CPB), Leptinotarsa decemlineata, using the Ambion mirVana kit (Catalog #1560) and recommended procedures (Ambion Inc., Austin, Tex.). CPB larvae occupying approximately 200 μL volume in a microfuge tube were used for each preparation. Five micrograms of total RNA were used to prepare cDNA using the Invitrogen Thermoscript™ RT-PCR system (Catalog #11146) and recommended procedures for random primer-mediated cDNA synthesis (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.). This cDNA was used as a template for amplification of V-ATPase A subunit 2 ortholog sequences using Taq DNA polymerase and the oligonucleotide primers pr 550 (SEQ ID NO:160) and pr552 (SEQ ID NO:161). These primers were designed by aligning the nucleotide sequences for the nearest V-ATPase A orthologs from Manduca sexta (SEQ ID NO:151), Aedes aegypti (SEQ ID NO:152), Drosophila melanogaster (SEQ ID NO:153), and Diabrotica virgifera (WCR) and selecting regions of minimal degeneracy. Primer pr550 corresponds to nucleotides 230-252 in the M. sexta gene sequence while primer pr552 corresponds to nucleotides 1354-1331 in the M. sexta gene sequence.

Amplification was achieved using a touchdown amplification procedure with the following cycling parameters:

Step 1. 94 C, 2 min; Step 2. 94 C, 30 sec; Step 3. 50 C, 2 min;

Step 4. 72 C, 2 min

(35 cycles for steps 2-4, with a step down of −0.3 C per cycle for step 3); Step 5. 72 C, 10 min; and

Step 6. 4 C.

The approximately 1.2 kb DNA fragment amplified from the cDNA was cloned into the vector pCR2.1-TOPO (Invitrogen) to yield the recombinant plasmid pIC17105. The nucleotide sequence of the cloned insert (SEQ ID NO:144) shares only 82% nucleotide sequence identity with the V-ATPase A subunit 2 ortholog sequence from the Western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera, however, the deduced amino acid sequences for the encoded V-ATPase A proteins share 97% sequence identity.

The V-ATPase A ortholog sequence in plasmid pIC17105 was amplified using primers pr568 (SEQ ID NO:162) and pr569 (SEQ ID NO:163), designed as “universal” primers for generating DNA templates with flanking T7 polymerase promoter sequences from pCR2.1-TOPO clones. The amplified DNA served as the template for dsRNA synthesis using the Ambion MEGAscript™ kit (Catalog #1626) and recommended procedures (Ambion Inc., Austin, Tex.). Purified dsRNA derived from the L. decemlineata V-ATPase A ortholog sequence was fed to larvae of L. decemlineata in an insect feeding assay.

The CPB diet consists of 13.2 g/L agar (Serva 11393), 140.3 g/L Bio-Serve pre-mix (F9380B), 5 ml/L KOH (18.3% w/w), and 1.25 ml/L formalin (37%). The diet was dispensed in 200 uL aliquots onto 96-well plates and dried briefly prior to sample application. Twenty □L of test sample were applied per well, with sterile water serving as the untreated check (UTC). Plates were allowed to dry before adding insect larvae. One neonate CPB larva was added per well with a fine paintbrush. Plates were sealed with mylar and ventilated using an insect pin. Forty larvae were tested per treatment. The bioassay plates were incubated at 27 C, 60% RH, in complete darkness for 10-12 days. The plates were scored for larval stunting and mortality. Data were analyzed using JMP® 4 statistical software (SAS Institute, Cary, N.C., USA).

TABLE 2 Oral toxicity of dsRNA to CPB larvae Treatment % Mortality Std Dev SEM 95% CI Untreated 8.33 10.21 4.17 −2.38-19.04 check V-ATPase 87.5 10.83 3.61 79.18-95.82 A dsRNA

Based on the oral toxicity bioassay data using a CPB specific V-ATPase dsRNA, CPB infestation of plants can be controlled by providing in the diet of the pest a plant cell expressing one or more dsRNA sequences specific for suppression of one or more genes in a CPB pest.

Example 7

This example illustrates the results of bioassays of various lepidopteran larvae on artificial diet using insect specific dsRNA.

Total RNA was isolated from 2^(nd)-3^(rd) instar larvae of Spodoptera frugiperda, Helicoverpa zea, Agrots ipsilon, and Ostrinia nubilalis using the Ambion mirVana kit (Catalog #1560) and recommended procedures (Ambion Inc., Austin, Tex.). Larvae occupying approximately 200 μL volume in a microfuge tube were used for each preparation.

Five micrograms of total RNA from each of the above lepidopteran species was used to prepare cDNA using the Invitrogen Thermoscript™ RT-PCR system (Catalog #11146) and recommended procedures for random primer-mediated cDNA synthesis (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.). This cDNA was used as a template for amplification of one or more V-ATPase A subunit 2 ortholog sequences specific for each of the lepidopteran species using Taq DNA polymerase and the oligonucleotide primers pr 550 (SEQ ID NO:160) and pr552 (SEQ ID NO:161).

These primers were designed by aligning the nucleotide sequences for the nearest V-ATPase A orthologs from Manduca sexta, Aedes aegypti, Drosophila melanogaster, and Diabrotica virgifera (WCR) and selecting regions of minimal degeneracy. Primer pr550 corresponds to nucleotides 230-252 in the M. sexta gene sequence while primer pr552 corresponds to nucleotides 1354-1331 in the M. sexta gene sequence.

Amplification was achieved using a touchdown PCR procedure with the cycling parameters as described in Example 6. The amplified DNA products were cloned into pCR2.1-TOPO and sequenced to confirm their identity. The recombinant plasmids containing the ortholog gene sequences are listed in Table 3.

TABLE 3 Lepidopteran V-ATPase A subunit 2 ortholog sequences Plasmid Insect species SEQ ID NO: pIC17088 Spodoptera frugiperda SEQ ID NO: 145 pIC17101 Agrotis ipsilon SEQ ID NO: 146 pIC17102 Helicoverpa zea SEQ ID NO: 147 pIC17103 Ostrinia nubilalis SEQ ID NO: 148

The V-ATPase A ortholog sequences in plasmids pIC17088, pIC17101, pIC17102 were amplified using primers pr555 (SEQ ID NO:164) and pr556 (SEQ ID NO:165), designed to generate DNA fragments with flanking and opposing T7 polymerase promoters for in vitro dsRNA synthesis.

Double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) for the FAW, BCW, and CEW ortholog sequences were synthesized from these amplified DNA templates using the Ambion MEGAscript™ kit (Catalog #1626) and recommended procedures (Ambion Inc., Austin, Tex.) and submitted for insect bioassays at 10 ppm.

For these assays, artificial lepidopteran diet (165 g/L Southland Multiple Species Diet, 14.48 g/L agar) was prepared and dispensed to 128 well trays, 500 ul per well. Samples were dispensed over the diet and placed in a “dry down” chamber at 27 C and 35% humidity, where excess water is evaporated off. Once dried each well was infested with a single neonate larva and sealed with a perforated mylar seal. The trays were incubated for six to eight days at 27 C. The untreated control insects had depleted all of the diet in their respective wells at six to eight days. Fifty-well trays were prepared with 4 ml artificial diet per well, and all insects that were at or near depletion of diet before the assay concluded, were transferred to the new trays. These trays were sealed and returned to the incubator, and all bioassays were then evaluated after a total of ten to twelve days.

The results from these bioassays for the lepidopteran insect species indicate no significant effect on larval mortality or mass gain as compared to the untreated check (comparisons for all pairs using Tukey-Kramer HSD) and using this assay regimen has been observed. Effects on larval mortality or mass gain were also not observed in bioassays using combinations of dsRNA and sublethal amounts of pore forming BT insecticidal proteins known from previous experiments to be toxic to these lepidopteran pests.

Example 8

This example illustrates a bioassay for determining oral toxicity of dsRNA towards larvae of the cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis.

Total RNA was isolated from larvae of the cotton boll weevil (BWV), Anthonomus grandis, using the Ambion mirVana kit (Catalog #1560) and recommended procedures (Ambion Inc., Austin, Tex.). BWV larvae occupying approximately 200 ul volume in a microfuge tube were used for each preparation. Five micrograms of total RNA were used to prepare cDNA using the Invitrogen Thermoscript™ RT-PCR system (Catalog #11146) and recommended procedures for random primer-mediated cDNA synthesis (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.). This cDNA was used as a template for amplification of V-ATPase A subunit 2 ortholog sequences using Taq DNA polymerase and the oligonucleotide primers pr 550 (SEQ ID NO:160) and pr552 (SEQ ID NO:161).

These primers were designed by aligning the nucleotide sequences for the nearest V-ATPase A orthologs from Manduca sexta, Aedes aegypti, Drosophila melanogaster, and Diabrotica virgifera (WCR) and selecting regions of minimal degeneracy. Primer pr550 corresponds to nucleotides 230-252 in the M. sexta gene sequence while primer pr552 corresponds to nucleotides 1354-1331 in the M. sexta gene sequence.

Amplification was achieved using a touchdown amplification procedure with the cycling parameters as described in Example 6. The approximately 1.2 kb DNA fragment amplified from the cDNA was cloned into the vector pCR2.1-TOPO (Invitrogen) and the insert sequenced for confirmation. The V-ATPase A ortholog sequence (SEQ ID NO:149) was amplified using primers pr568 (SEQ ID NO:162) and pr569 (SEQ ID NO:163), designed as “universal” primers for generating DNA templates with flanking T7 polymerase promoter sequences from pCR2.1-TOPO clones.

Double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) were synthesized from this amplified DNA template using the Ambion MEGAscript™ kit (Catalog #1626) and recommended procedures (Ambion Inc., Austin, Tex.) and submitted for insect bioassay.

For bioassays of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, an agar-based artificial insect diet was used (Bioserv™—F9247B; Gast and Davich, 1966) per manufacturers instructions. Approximately 200 ul of molten diet was dispensed into 96-well microtiter plates and allowed to cool and solidify. A sample (20 ul) containing about 10 ppm dsRNA corresponding to the V-ATPase A ortholog sequence (SEQ ID NO:149) was then overlaid onto the diet and allowed to dry. Insect eggs (0-14) in 25 ul of 0.1% agar were then dispensed onto the diet. The plates were then sealed with perforated seals (Zymark #72281). The assay was incubated at 27° C. for ten to twelve days and scored for activity by determination of frass accumulation. No effects on larval mortality or mass gain were observed, but this may be a result of the particular feeding physiology of the boll weevil. Burrowing into the diet may significantly decrease the dose of dsRNA ingested and therefore significantly reduce any effects that would otherwise be observed with a surface feeding physiology. Incorporation of the dsRNA into the diet in a uniform manner would likely achieve significant mortality and reduced mass gain.

Other target gene sequences from the boll weevil may be cloned and used as templates for the in vitro synthesis of dsRNAs that can then be tested in insect bioassay to assess their efficacy. For instance, the ribosomal protein L19 (rpl19) gene may be used as a template for dsRNA synthesis. The nucleotide sequences for the rpl19 orthologs from Bombyx mori (SEQ ID NO:154), Drosophila melanogaster (SEQ ID NO:155), Anopholes gambiae (SEQ ID NO:156), and Diabrotica virgifera (SEQ ID NO:157) were aligned and consensus regions of minimal degeneracy identified for the purpose of designing degenerate oligonucleotide primers. Primers pr574 (SEQ ID NO:166) and pr577 (SEQ ID NO:168) or primers pr575 (SEQ ID NO:167) and pr577 (SEQ ID NO:168) may be used to amplify putative rpl19 ortholog sequences from many different insect species.

Amplification is achieved using a touchdown amplification procedure with the cycling parameters as described in Example 6. The approximately 0.4 kb DNA fragment amplified from the boll weevil cDNA was cloned into the vector pCR2.1-TOPO (Invitrogen) and the insert sequenced for confirmation. The rpl19 ortholog sequence (SEQ ID NO:158) was amplified using primers pr568 (SEQ ID NO:162) and pr569 (SEQ ID NO:163), designed as “universal” primers for generating DNA templates with flanking T7 polymerase promoter sequences from pCR2.1-TOPO clones.

Example 9

This example illustrates a bioassay for determining oral toxicity of dsRNAs towards larvae of the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum.

Some insects pests are commercially important because they infest the commodity products and processed materials produced from a particular crop. One particular such pest is the red flour beetle. The presence of one or more dsRNA species specific for inhibition of one or more genes in such pests in the commodity product and processed materials produced from a particular crop would be useful in controlling such pest infestation.

Total RNA was isolated from larvae of the red flour beetle (RFB), Tribolium castaneum, using the Ambion mirVana kit (Catalog #1560) and recommended procedures (Ambion Inc., Austin, Tex.). RFB larvae occupying approximately 200 ul volume in a microfuge tube were used for each preparation. Five micrograms of total RNA were used to prepare cDNA using the Invitrogen Thermoscript™ RT-PCR system (Catalog #11146) and recommended procedures for random primer-mediated cDNA synthesis (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.). This cDNA was used as a template for amplification of V-ATPase A subunit 2 ortholog sequences using Taq DNA polymerase and the oligonucleotide primers pr 550 (SEQ ID NO:160) and pr552 (SEQ ID NO:161).

These primers were designed by aligning the nucleotide sequences for the nearest V-ATPase A orthologs from Manduca sexta, Aedes aegypti, Drosophila melanogaster, and Diabrotica virgifera (WCR) and selecting regions of minimal degeneracy. Primer pr550 corresponds to nucleotides 230-252 in the M. sexta gene sequence while primer pr552 corresponds to nucleotides 1354-1331 in the M. sexta gene sequence.

Amplification is achieved using a touchdown amplification procedure with the cycling parameters as described in Example 6. The approximately 1.2 kb DNA fragment amplified from the cDNA was cloned into the vector pCR2.1-TOPO (Invitrogen) and the insert sequenced for confirmation. The V-ATPase A ortholog sequence (SEQ ID NO:150) was amplified using primers pr568 (SEQ ID NO:162 and pr569 (SEQ ID NO:163), designed as “universal” primers for generating DNA templates with flanking T7 polymerase promoter sequences from pCR2.1-TOPO clones.

Double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) were synthesized from this amplified DNA template using the Ambion MEGAscript™ kit (Catalog #1626) and recommended-procedures (Ambion Inc., Austin, Tex.) and submitted for insect bioassay. Wheat flour is uniformly mixed with water and dsRNA corresponding to V-ATPase A ortholog sequence (SEQ ID NO:150) and allowed to dry. The composition is used as a bioassay substrate along with red flour beetle larvae. Insecticidal effects are observed after several days of incubation by extracting the weevil larvae from the flour/dsRNA mixture.

Other target gene sequences from the red flour beetle may be cloned and used as templates for the in vitro synthesis of dsRNAs that can then be tested in insect bioassay to assess their efficacy. For instance, the ribosomal protein L19 (rpl19) gene may be used as a template for dsRNA synthesis. The nucleotide sequences for the rpl19 orthologs from Bombyx mori, Drosophila melanogaster, Anopholes gambiae, and Diabrotica virgifera were aligned and consensus regions of minimal degeneracy identified for the purpose of designing degenerate oligonucleotide primers. Primers pr574 (SEQ ID NO:166) and pr577 (SEQ ID NO:168) or primers pr575 (SEQ ID NO:167) and pr577 (SEQ ID NO:168) may be used to amplify putative rpl19 ortholog sequences from many different insect species.

Amplification is achieved using a touchdown amplification procedure with the cycling parameters as described in Example 6. The approximately 0.4 kb kb DNA fragment amplified from the red flour beetle cDNA was cloned into the vector pCR2.1-TOPO (Invitrogen) and the insert sequenced for confirmation. The rpl9 ortholog sequence (SEQ ID NO:159) was amplified using primers pr568 (SEQ ID NO:162) and pr569 (SEQ ID NO:163), designed as “universal” primers for generating DNA templates with flanking 17 polymerase promoter sequences from pCR2.1-TOPO clones.

Example 10

This example illustrates a bioassay for determining oral toxicity of dsRNAs to white grubs and wireworms.

Total RNA is isolated from white grub of wireworm larvae using the Ambion mirVana kit (Catalog #1560) and recommended procedures (Ambion Inc., Austin, Tex.). Larvae occupying approximately 200 ul volume in a microfuge tube are used for each preparation. Five micrograms of total RNA are used to prepare cDNA using the Invitrogen Thermoscript™ RT-PCR system (Catalog #11146) and recommended procedures for random primer-mediated cDNA synthesis (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.). This cDNA is used as a template for amplification of V-ATPase A subunit 2 ortholog sequences using Taq DNA polymerase and the oligonucleotide primers pr 550 (SEQ ID NO:160) and pr552 (SEQ ID NO:161).

These primers were designed by aligning the nucleotide sequences for the nearest V-ATPase A orthologs from Manduca sexta, Aedes aegypti, Drosophila melanogaster, and Diabrotica virgifera (WCR) and selecting regions of minimal degeneracy. Primer pr550 corresponds to nucleotides 230-252 in the M. sexta gene sequence while primer pr552 corresponds to nucleotides 1354-1331 in the M. sexta gene sequence.

Amplification is achieved using a touchdown amplification procedure with the cycling parameters as described in Example 7. The approximately 1.2 kb DNA fragment amplified from the cDNA is cloned into the vector pCR2.1-TOPO (Invitrogen) and the insert sequenced for confirmation. The V-ATPase A ortholog sequence is amplified using primers pr568 (SEQ ID NO:162) and pr569 (SEQ ID NO:163), designed as “universal” primers for generating DNA templates with flanking T7 polymerase promoter sequences from pCR2.1-TOPO clones.

Double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) are synthesized from this amplified DNA template using the Ambion MEGAscript™ kit (Catalog #1626) and recommended procedures (Ambion Inc., Austin, Tex.) and submitted for insect bioassay. Effects of oral toxicity are observed after several days of bioassay.

Other target gene sequences from white grubs or wireworms may be cloned and used as templates for the in vitro synthesis of dsRNAs that can then be tested in insect bioassay to assess their efficacy. For instance, the ribosomal protein L19 (rpl19) gene may be used as a template for dsRNA synthesis. The nucleotide sequences for the rpl19 orthologs from Bombyx mori, Drosophila melanogaster, Anopholes gambiae, and Diabrotica virgifera were aligned and consensus regions of minimal degeneracy identified for the purpose of designing degenerate oligonucleotide primers. Primers pr574 and pr577 or primers pr575 and pr577 may be used to amplify putative rpl19 ortholog sequences from many different insect species.

Amplification is achieved using a touchdown amplification procedure with the cycling parameters as described in Example 7. The approximately 0.4 kb DNA fragment amplified from the cDNA is cloned into the vector pCR2.1-TOPO (Invitrogen) and the insert sequenced for confirmation. The rpl19 ortholog sequence is amplified using primers pr568 (SEQ ID NO:162) and pr569 (SEQ ID NO:163), designed as “universal” primers for generating DNA templates with flanking T7 polymerase promoter sequences from pCR2.1-TOPO clones.

Example 11

This example illustrates a bioassay for determining oral toxicity of dsRNAs towards larvae of the mosquito, Aedes aegypti.

Total RNA is isolated from larvae of Aedes aegypti larvae using the Ambion mirVana kit (Catalog #1560) and recommended procedures (Ambion Inc., Austin, Tex.). Aedes aegypti larvae occupying approximately 200 ul volume in a microfuge tube are used for each preparation. Five micrograms of total RNA are used to prepare cDNA using the Invitrogen Thermoscript™ RT-PCR system (Catalog #11146) and recommended procedures for random primer-mediated cDNA synthesis (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, Calif.). This cDNA is used as a template for amplification of V-ATPase A subunit 2 ortholog sequences using Taq DNA polymerase and the oligonucleotide primers pr 550 (SEQ ID NO:160) and pr552 (SEQ ID NO:161).

These primers were designed by aligning the nucleotide sequences for the nearest V-ATPase A orthologs from Manduca sexta, Aedes aegypti, Drosophila melanogaster, and Diabrotica virgifera (WCR) and selecting regions of minimal degeneracy. Primer pr550 corresponds to nucleotides 230-252 in the M. sexta gene sequence while primer pr552 corresponds to nucleotides 1354-1331 in the M. sexta gene sequence.

Amplification is achieved using a touchdown amplification procedure with the cycling parameters as described in Example 7. The approximately 1.2 kb DNA fragment amplified from the cDNA is cloned into the vector pCR2.1-TOPO (Invitrogen) and the insert sequenced for confirmation. The V-ATPase A ortholog sequence is amplified using primers pr568 (SEQ ID NO:162) and pr569 (SEQ ID NO:163), designed as “universal” primers for generating DNA templates with flanking T7 polymerase promoter sequences from pCR2.1-TOPO clones.

Double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) are synthesized from this amplified DNA template using the Ambion MEGAscript™ kit (Catalog #1626) and recommended procedures (Ambion Inc., Austin, Tex.) and submitted for insect bioassay. Effects on insect larvae are observed after several days in bioassay.

Other target gene sequences from mosquitoes may be cloned and used as templates for the in vitro synthesis of dsRNAs that can then be tested in insect bioassay to assess their efficacy. For instance, the ribosomal protein L19 (rpl19) gene may be used as a template for dsRNA synthesis. The nucleotide sequences for the rpl19 orthologs from Bombyx mori, Drosophila melanogaster, Anopholes gambiae, and Diabrotica virgifera were aligned and consensus regions of minimal degeneracy identified for the purpose of designing degenerate oligonucleotide primers. Primers pr574 and pr577 or primers pr575 and pr577 may be used to amplify putative rpl19 ortholog sequences from many different insect species.

Amplification is achieved using a touchdown amplification procedure with the cycling parameters as described in Example 7. The approximately 0.4 kb DNA fragment amplified from the cDNA is cloned into the vector pCR2.1-TOPO (Invitrogen) and the insert sequenced for confirmation. The rpl19 ortholog sequence is amplified using primers pr568 (SEQ ID NO:162) and pr569 (SEQ ID NO:163), designed as “universal” primers for generating DNA templates with flanking T7 polymerase promoter sequences from pCR2.1-TOPO clones.

Double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) are synthesized from this amplified DNA template using the Ambion MEGAscript™ kit (Catalog #1626) and recommended procedures (Ambion Inc., Austin, Tex.) and submitted for insect bioassay.

Other mosquito species are contemplated to be within the scope of this invention. Suitable target gene sequences from Aedes, Culex, and Anopholes species can be amplified using appropriate oligonucleotide primers, cloned into the vector pCR2.1-TOPO (Invitrogen) and the insert sequenced for confirmation. The cloned target sequences are amplified using primers pr568 (SEQ ID NO:162) and pr569 (SEQ ID NO:163), designed as “universal” primers for generating DNA templates with flanking T7 polymerase promoter sequences from pCR2.1-TOPO clones.

Double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) are synthesized from these amplified DNA templates using the Ambion MEGAscript™ kit (Catalog #1626) and recommended procedures (Ambion Inc., Austin, Tex.) and submitted for insect bioassay

Example 12

This example illustrates how dsRNA made from the 3′UTR region of V-ATPase showed the down regulation of the target.

Segments (ca. 300 bp of dsRNA) of the WCR V-ATPase 3 UTR have been put into WCR bio-assay and failed to show stunting and mortality within a 12 day bio-assay period. Comparably sized segments within the coding region of the V-ATPase do show significant stunting and mortality at a range of concentrations. Northern blots examining total RNA extracted from WCR larvae fed for 4 days on a V-ATPase 3′ UTR segment (and probed with a coding region probe) showed a significant decline in the V-ATPase target mRNA relative to untreated control larvae (summarized NBP #7497215). However, detectable message remained, indicating less effective knock-down of the target with a 3′ UTR dsRNA segment (vs using a coding region segment) and/or contribution from a putative second V-ATPase gene that has a significantly diverged 3′ UTR from the primary V-ATPase gene. Southern blot data on WCR is consistent with more than one hybridizing gene sequence within the genome, but examination of ESTs and limited family PCR have not yet demonstrated that a putative second gene is transcribed.

It is important to mention that although it is critical to determine the potential to stunt and kill larvae, simply monitoring expression of a target gene by Northern blot or quantitative PCR could also find targets amenable to RNAi strategies. The results above plus other northern experiments looking at the V-ATPase target have shown that the RNA effect on transcript abundance is discernable in insects within hours of presentation of the dsRNA.

Example 13

This example illustrates one approach to implementing insect pest gene suppression using a ta-siRNA mediated silencing method.

An alternative method to silence genes in a plant pest uses the recently discovered class of trans-acting small interfering RNA (ta-siRNA) (Dalmay et al., Cell 101:543-553, 2000; Mourrain et al., Cell 101:533-542, 2000; Peragine et al, Genes and Development, 18:2368-2379, 2004; Vazquez et al, Mol Cell 16(1):69-79, 2004; Yu et al., Mol Plant Microbe Interact 16:206-216, 2003). ta-siRNA are derived from single strand RNA transcripts that are targeted by naturally occurring miRNA within the cell. Methods for using microRNA to trigger ta-siRNA for gene silencing in plants are described in U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/643,136 (Carrington et al. 2004), incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. At least one pest specific miRNA expressed in gut epithelial cells of corn rootworm larvae is identified. This pest specific miRNA is then used to identify at least one target RNA transcript sequence complementary to the miRNA that is expressed in the cell. The corresponding target sequence is a short sequence of no more than 21 contiguous nucleotides that, when part of a RNA transcript and contacted by its corresponding miRNA in a cell type with a functional RNAi pathway, leads to slicer-mediated cleavage of said transcript. Once miRNA target sequences are identified, at least one miRNA target sequence is fused to a second sequence that corresponds to part of a pest gene that is to be silenced using this method. For example, the miRNA target sequence(s) is fused to sequences of the corn rootworm vacuolar ATPase (V-ATPase) gene. The miRNA target sequence can be placed at the 5′ end, the 3′ end, or embedded in the middle of the V-ATPase gene. It may be preferable to use multiple miRNA target sequences corresponding to multiple miRNA genes, or use the same miRNA target sequence multiple times in the chimera of the miRNA target sequence and the V-ATPase sequence. The V-ATPase sequence can be of any length, with a minimum of 21 bp.

The chimera of the miRNA target sequence(s) and the V-ATPase sequence is expressed in plant cells using any of a number of appropriate promoter and other transcription regulatory elements, as long as the transcription occurs in cells types subject to being provided in the diet of the pest, e.g. corn roots for control of corn rootworm.

This method may have the additional advantage of delivering longer RNA molecules to the target pest. Typically, dsRNA's produced in plants are rapidly processed by Dicer into short RNA's that may not be effective when fed exogenously to some pests. In this method, a single strand transcript is produced in the plant cell, taken up by the pest, and converted into a dsRNA in the pest cell where it is then processed into ta-siRNA capable of post-transcriptionally silencing one or more genes in one or more target pests.

Example 14

This example illustrates the comparison of CRW cDNA sequences to sequences from sources other than CRW and the identification of (1) sequences in common with those other source sequences and (2) sequences that are unique to CRW. cDNA sequences that are conserved between two organisms are potential RNAi candidates that can be used to target the gene expression and function of both organisms. Alternatively, it may be desirable to select sequences for CRW gene suppression for which no known homologous sequence is present in (a) other pest organisms, (b) non-target organisms, and (c) the plant genome selected for transformation with the CRW suppression sequence.

Six CRW cDNA sequences were selected for comparison to sequences from other sources. The specific sequences included sequences encoding alpha-tubulin, beta-tubulin, CHD3, vacuolar proton pump E subunit, V-ATPase A subunit, and thread proteins. The nucleotide sequences are as set forth in SEQ ID NO:98, SEQ ID NO:99, SEQ ID NO:100, SEQ ID NO:101, SEQ ID NO:102, SEQ ID NO:103, respectively. The CRW cDNA sequences were compared to all public cDNA of various organisms from GenBank using the NCBI megablast program (Altschul et al., J. Mol. Biol. 215:403-410, 1990), the search parameters set as follows:

-   -   -W21 -b50 -v50         requiring at least a 21-mer perfect match and retaining only the         top 50 best matches and alignments. The results were filtered to         include only organisms in the Insecta order, and honey bee (Apis         mellifera) was excluded. Although the analysis was only done on         the six CRW cDNA sequences, the same process may be applied to         all cDNA or unigene sequences in CRW or other organism of         interest without undue burden or experimentation.

Using the six CRW cDNA sequences, a total of 145 matches were identified from 20 distinct insect organisms. These included several pest species, such as pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum), Asiatic citrus psyllid (Diaphorina citri) and human lice (Pediculus humanus).

The results are presented in Table 4 below with coordinates of match on the query sequence and the hit, percent identity of the match, and the insect species from which the hit sequence was derived. For example, a segment from nucleotide position 844 to 1528 in SEQ ID NO:98 was identified to be substantially identical to a segment from nucleotide position 812 to 128 from GenBank sequence accession number GI: 47521748 derived from pea aphid (Acyrthosiphon pisum). These two sequences share about 85% identity.

TABLE 4 CRW Unigene sequences and Insect Nucleotide Sequnce Homologs SEQ % ID Identity Identity Iden- Genus NO¹ Position² Gene ID³ Position⁴ tity⁵ species⁶ 98  171-1529 GI:14279671   89-1447 83% Chironomus tentans 98 175-938 GI:60297223  69-832 88% Diaprepes abbreviatus 98 171-779 GI:49394745  79-687 89% Drosophila melanogaster 98  769-1528 GI:47537494 827-68  85% Acyrthosiphon pisum 98  529-1339 GI:55814359  56-865 85% Acyrthosiphon pisum 98  729-1469 GI:46995994   1-741 85% Acyrthosiphon pisum 98 171-740 GI:49395093  79-652 88% Drosophila melanogaster 98 166-903 GI:60297353  68-804 85% Diaprepes abbreviatus 98 171-875 GI:37593891  66-769 85% Pediculus humanus 98  844-1528 GI:47521748 812-128 85% Acyrthosiphon pisum 98  351-1255 GI:55798571   1-903 83% Acyrthosiphon pisum 98  862-1528 GI:55815587   8-674 86% Acyrthosiphon pisum 98  415-1520 GI:19773419  309-1414 81% Bombyx mori 98 171-296 GI:19773419  65-190 88% Bombyx mori 98  415-1520 GI:608680  309-1414 81% Bombyx mori 98 171-296 GI:608680  65-190 88% Bombyx mori 98  738-1434 GI:55811699   1-697 85% Acyrthosiphon pisum 98 171-899 GI:37593910  70-799 85% Pediculus humanus 98  171-1029 GI:55799535  53-911 83% Acyrthosiphon pisum 98  817-1492 GI:35508998   7-681 85% Acyrthosiphon pisum 98 171-845 GI:25959177  50-724 85% Meladema coriacea 98  862-1528 GI:55803725 726-60  85% Acyrthosiphon pisum 98 171-695 GI:49394718  79-603 88% Drosophila melanogaster 98  838-1528 GI:55813912 827-137 85% Acyrthosiphon pisum 98 171-692 GI:49395499  54-575 88% Drosophila melanogaster 98  171-1025 GI:46997250  92-945 83% Acyrthosiphon pisum 98  171-1022 G147533429   4-855 83% Acyrthosiphon pisum 98 171-998 GI:34788002 122-949 83% Callosobruchus maculatus 98 171-839 GI:25959137  50-717 85% Meladema coriacea 98 171-677 GI:49395221  84-590 88% Drosophila melanogaster 98 171-809 GI:25959136  50-688 86% Meladema coriacea 98 171-816 GI:37593801  66-712 85% Pediculus humanus 98 171-816 GI:37593472  67-712 85% Pediculus humanus 98 171-848 GI:25959229  47-724 85% Meladema coriacea 98 171-677 GI:49395496  75-581 88% Drosophila melanogaster 98 171-659 GI:49395250  83-571 89% Drosophila melanogaster 98  171-1029 GI:46997155  98-953 83% Acyrthosiphon pisum 98  904-1528 GI:47519891 752-128 86% Acyrthosiphon pisum 98  199-1061 GI:55813341   8-870 83% Acyrthosiphon pisum 98  760-1430 GI:60298750   9-679 85% Diaphorina citri 98 171-998 GI:46997667 106-933 83% Acyrthosiphon pisum 98 171-785 GI:25959104  69-684 85% Meladema coriacea 98  922-1528 GI:25959369 697-91  86% Meladema coriacea 98  922-1528 GI:25959412 698-92  86% Meladema coriacea 98 171-772 GI:25959233  68-669 86% Meladema coriacea 98 171-677 GI:49395121  74-582 88% Drosophila melanogaster 98  199-1029 GI:47534273   1-830 83% Acyrthosiphon pisum 99   90-1385 GI:34787982   56-1351 83% Callosobruchus maculatus 99  74-797 GI:25958562  14-739 88% Curculio glandium 99  572-1374 GI:60297081  25-827 86% Diaprepes abbreviatus 99  100-1425 GI:19773425   91-1416 81% Bombyx mori 99  100-1425 GI:2073100  111-1436 81% Bombyx mori 99  55-738 GI:60297565   7-684 87% Diaprepes abbreviatus 99  131-1425 GI:39842328   28-1322 81% Laodelphax striatellus 99  688-1449 GI:60298019   9-770 85% Diaprepes abbreviatus 99  61-606 GI:49394901  10-557 87% Drosophila melanogaster 99  61-605 GI:49395418  12-558 87% Drosophila melanogaster 99  100-1008 GI:2613140  68-976 81% Manduca sexta 99 1064-1416 GI:2613140 1032-1384 83% Manduca sexta 99  61-573 GI:49395445  15-528 87% Drosophila melanogaster 99  40-582 GI:49395189   4-551 86% Drosophila melanogaster 99 104-918 GI:47518537  27-841 82% Acyrthosiphon pisum 99 104-784 GI:25959017  39-719 83% Meladema coriacea 99 104-879 GI:47538212  85-860 82% Acyrthosiphon pisum 99 104-852 GI:47520002  32-780 82% Acyrthosiphon pisum 99 104-789 GI:47519819 118-803 83% Acyrthosiphon pisum 99 104-789 GI:47532797 106-791 83% Acyrthosiphon pisum 99 100-708 GI:53910346  73-681 84% Heliconius erato petiverana 99 100-880 GI:6902132  54-834 82% Bombyx mori 99 104-789 GI:46999310  91-777 83% Acyrthosiphon pisum 101 113-263 GI:41578101 124-274 90% Culicoides sonorensis 101 113-263 GI:41577171  65-215 90% Culicoides sonorensis 101 113-308 GI:15466250 140-335 86% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:15530478 140-335 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 112-308 GI:15516090 140-336 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:49393479  52-247 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-263 GI:41577256  99-249 88% Culicoides sonorensis 101 113-308 GI:41403307  84-279 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:41402978  79-274 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:41401487  82-277 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:38628155 176-371 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 118-293 GI:16901350  70-245 87% Ctenocephalides felis 101 118-293 GI:16900951  78-253 87% Ctenocephalides felis 101 113-308 GI:14708726 170-365 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:14707923 171-366 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:14708035 139-334 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:14705944 135-330 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:14705959  95-290 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:14705165 108-303 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:14703451 150-345 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:14703188  95-290 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:14700853 108-303 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:14700635 136-331 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:14699645  95-290 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:14697887  94-289 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:14697103 136-331 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:14696099 137-332 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:14696107 136-331 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:14695238  95-290 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:14693081 133-328 85% Drosophila melanogaster 101 113-308 GI:14691490 138-333 85% Drosophila melanogaster 102  694-1364 GI:2454487  811-1481 84% Aedes aegypti 102  715-1220 GI:22039978   3-507 86% Ctenocephalides felis 102  694-1175 GI:4734043 166-647 85% Aedes aegypti 102  895-1286 GI:16899106   3-393 87% Ctenocephalides felis 102  895-1286 GI:16899780   6-395 87% Ctenocephalides felis 102  895-1286 GI:16899721   6-396 86% Ctenocephalides felis 102  961-1286 GI:22039013   8-333 87% Ctenocephalides felis 102  874-1327 GI:33376955  30-483 83% Glossina morsitans morsitans 102  636-1136 GI:46997165 360-859 81% Acyrthosiphon pisum 102  874-1220 GI:33376948  25-371 84% Glossina morsitans morsitans 102  943-1364 GI:3514814  74-495 82% Drosophila melanogaster 102  943-1364 GI:24583987 1055-1476 82% Drosophila melanogaster 102 694-884 GI:24583987 806-996 82% Drosophila melanogaster 102  943-1364 GI:24583985  967-1388 82% Drosophila melanogaster 102 694-884 GI:24583985 718-908 82% Drosophila melanogaster 102  943-1364 GI:24583983 1052-1473 82% Drosophila melanogaster 102 694-884 GI:24583983 803-993 82% Drosophila melanogaster 102  943-1364 GI:18467973 1049-1470 82% Drosophila melanogaster 102 694-884 GI:18467973 800-990 82% Drosophila melanogaster 102  943-1364 GI:19527546 1052-1473 82% Drosophila melanogaster 102 694-884 GI:19527546 803-993 82% Drosophila melanogaster 102 1045-1365 GI:4734199   1-321 84% Aedes aegypti 102  943-1280 GI:51961912  81-418 83% Drosophila simulans 102 734-947 GI:22039138  73-285 87% Ctenocephalides felis 102  959-1364 GI:24583991 1081-1486 81% Drosophila melanogaster 102  959-1364 GI:18467977 1081-1486 81% Drosophila melanogaster 102  943-1340 GI:21355198  994-1391 81% Drosophila melanogaster 102 694-884 GI:21355198 745-935 82% Drosophila melanogaster 102  959-1364 GI:19528270 1021-1426 81% Drosophila melanogaster 102  959-1364 GI:18859618  951-1356 81% Drosophila melanogaster 102  943-1340 GI:1373432  994-1391 81% Drosophila melanogaster 102 694-884 GI:1373432 745-935 82% Drosophila melanogaster 102  959-1364 GI:5851682 1021-1426 81% Drosophila melanogaster 102 142-345 GI:22039875 163-366 87% Ctenocephalides felis 102 142-345 GI:16901137 217-420 87% Ctenocephalides felis 102  82-595 GI:34787824 112-625 79% Callosobruchus maculatus 102 142-345 GI:16901267 156-360 87% Ctenocephalides felis 102  771-1022 GI:22005558  58-309 84% Aedes aegypti 102  96-357 GI:46996282 118-379  83% Acyrthosiphon pisum 102  963-1364 GI:18898890  11-412 80% Anopheles gambiae 102  967-1364 GI:18936027  25-422 80% Anopheles gambiae 102  61-344 GI:37952369 124-407 81% Ips pini 103 1230-1251 GI:33371240 247-268 100%  Glossina morsitans morsitans 103 1230-1251 GI:33374947 249-270 100%  Glossina morsitans morsitans ¹WCR SEQ ID NO as set forth in the sequence listing; ²Nucleotide position in the SEQ ID NO in column 1 that exhibits substantial identity with Gene ID in column 3 on same row; ³Gene accession number of corresponding matching sequence identified within public database that exhibits substantial identity with column 1 SEQ ID NO; ⁴nucleotide position of sequence identified in column 3 that matches with CRW nucleotides specified on same row; ⁵Percentage identity between the WCR SEQ ID NO and Gene ID (comparison of identity between column 2 and column 4 sequences on any given row); and ⁶Genus and species of organism from which the Gene Accession No. sequence was derived.

Example 15

This example illustrates the identification of predicted protein functional domains and gene families from the translation of the nucleotide sequences disclosed herein using sequence matches to known sequences and existing domain consensus models.

The protein sequences were first produced with a “translator” program, which translated Unigenes into peptide sequences through the following steps: homology to known proteins; model-based ab initio gene structure prediction; and longest open reading frame (ORF). Frame shifts due to sequencing errors were corrected. The protein sequences were then searched against Pfam database, a large collection of multiple sequence alignments and hidden Markov models (HMM) covering many common protein families (The Pfam Protein Families Database, Bateman et al., Nucleic Acids Research 32:D138-D141, 2004). The protein HMM models were searched with program HMMPAM (Durbin et al., Biological Sequence Analysis: Probabilistic Models of Proteins and Nucleic Acids, Cambridge University Press, 1998), with the default stringencies. A further filtering was done to keep only those matches with an expectation value of 0.1 or smaller as significant matches. Of the 20303 Corn rootworm peptide sequences, 4199 (21%) were identified with 1317 distinct protein domains and families.

The analysis results were presented in the feature fields of the sequence listing file with these attributes: Pfam name, Pfam description, and match level with HMMPFAM score, expectation value (E-value) and number of copies of the domain in the peptide sequence.

Example 16

This example illustrates a method for providing a DNA sequence for dsRNA-mediated gene silencing. More specifically, this example describes selection of an improved DNA useful in dsRNA-mediated gene silencing by (a) selecting from a target gene an initial DNA sequence including more than 21 contiguous nucleotides; (b) identifying at least one shorter DNA sequence derived from regions of the initial DNA sequence consisting of regions predicted to not generate undesirable polypeptides; and (c) selecting a DNA sequence for dsRNA-mediated gene silencing that includes the at least one shorter DNA sequence. Undesirable polypeptides include, but are not limited to, polypeptides homologous to allergenic polypeptides and polypeptides homologous to known polypeptide toxins.

WCR V-ATPase has been demonstrated to function in corn rootworm feeding assays to test dsRNA mediated silencing as a means of controlling larval growth. A cDNA sequence from a vacuolar ATPase gene (V-ATPase) from Western corn rootworm (WCR) (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) was selected for use as an initial DNA sequence (SEQ ID NO. 104). This initial DNA sequence was screened for regions within which every contiguous fragment including at least 21 nucleotides matched fewer than 21 out of 21 contiguous nucleotides of known vertebrate sequences. Three sequence segments greater than about 100 contiguous nucleotides that were free of such 21/21 hits were identified; a first sequence segment corresponding to nucleotide position 739-839, a second sequence segment corresponding to nucleotide position 849-987, and a third sequence segment corresponding to nucleotide position 998-1166 as set forth in SEQ ID NO:104. These three sequence segments were combined to construct a chimeric DNA sequence (SEQ ID NO: 1) for use in dsRNA-mediated gene silencing of the corresponding CRW V-ATPase coding sequence. The novel chimeric DNA sequence was tested in the CRW bioassay described above.

All publications, patents and published patent applications mentioned in this specification are herein incorporated by reference as if each individual publication or patent was specially and individually stated to be incorporated by reference. 

1-45. (canceled)
 46. A method of producing a corn plant with resistance to a CRW (corn rootworm) pest comprising growing said plant from a transgenic corn seed comprising: a) a transgene encoding a dsRNA for suppression of an essential gene in a CRW (corn rootworm) pest; and b) a transgene encoding an insecticidal protein exhibiting biological activity against said pest.
 47. The method of claim 46, wherein said plant comprises increased yield when compared to a plant lacking said transgenes.
 48. The method of claim 46, wherein said seed comprises a herbicide tolerance gene.
 49. The method of claim 48, wherein the herbicide tolerance gene confers tolerance to glyphosate.
 50. The method of claim 48, wherein the herbicide tolerance gene is a pat gene.
 51. The method of claim 48, wherein the herbicide tolerance gene confers tolerance to phosphinothricin.
 52. The method of claim 46, wherein the transgene encoding the dsRNA and the transgene encoding the bacterial insecticidal protein are comprised in a stacked transgenic event.
 53. The method of claim 46, wherein the transgene encoding the dsRNA and the transgene encoding the insecticidal protein are comprised in a stacked transgenic event.
 54. The method of claim 46, wherein said essential gene is a target gene encoding a protein, the predicted function of which is selected from the group of functions consisting of muscle formation, juvenile hormone formation, juvenile hormone regulation, ion regulation and transport, digestive enzyme synthesis, maintenance of cell membrane potential, amino acid biosynthesis, amino acid degradation, sperm formation, pheromone synthesis, pheromone sensing, antennae formation, wing formation, leg formation, development and differentiation, egg formation, larval maturation, digestive enzyme formation, haemolymph synthesis, haemolymph maintenance, neurotransmission, cell division, energy metabolism, respiration, and apoptosis.
 55. The method of claim 46, wherein the plant grown from said seed comprises increased resistance to said pest when compared to a plant lacking said transgenes.
 56. The method of claim 46, wherein the plant grown from said seed comprises increased yield when compared to a plant lacking said transgenes.
 57. The method of claim 46, wherein the transgenic corn seed comprises a seed coating.
 58. The method of claim 46, wherein the transgene encoding the dsRNA and the transgene encoding the bacterial insecticidal protein are comprised in a stacked transgenic event. 